Unity
by Dunstin
Summary: The proud moment of the coronation of the Seventh Hokage is shattered as a mysterious band of shinobi bomb the Village Hidden in the Leaves, leaving confusion and mistrust of Naruto Uzumaki's ability to lead the village, while shaking his own confidence in himself. With the continent on the brim of war, how can he hope to combat this dark threat to peace? Post-manga.
1. Prologue 1

**Hello everyone, my new "big" story, which just means this'll last a while. There'll probably be another "The Tale Of:..." somewhere in between of me writing this, but for those that follow me, this is the new big thing.**

 **Now, timeline and background concerns. Everything in the manga/anime is canon up to this point, where it's just my take on continuing the adventure. This takes place soon after the movie "Naruto: The Last", and before "Boruto: The Movie." This means Naruto and Hinata and everyone have gotten married, and I've placed everyone's kids at 7. All the previous Kages have been replaced by the new ones as well. I've had Sasuke return to the village instead of off "dimension travelling," if you're caught up enough. Finally, two characters who you may notice now/ definitely will notice later on that everyone assumed died, but I have "brought back to life" in a twist. As you'll soon see, this story is going to cover Naruto's first big challenge as Hokage.**

 **All in all, if you're not caught up on the series, this is going to be stuffed with spoilers and stuff you might not understand.**

 **Some writing identification: "XXX" divides a section, followed by a character's name in bold which dictates POV. If it's blank, this means it's more of a narration. Finally, at the bottom of some chapters you may see "*" with some words; these are just footnotes for understanding things I think will be confusing.**

 **Disclaimer that I don't own Naruto** **and all that legal crud. Long intro, I know, so here's the story, and please leave a review of your opinion on what you've read so far!**

 **XXX**

 **S**

Below, on the lightened streets of Konohagakure, where the stars were mirrored on the ground, where the crowd of thousands of celebrating people moved like one large monster, he finally spotted the cropped blonde hair, moving down the middle of the street. Shaking the hands of those he could, waving to the rest he could not reach.

The joy was palpable; the entire village was in an uproar. His fingers bit into the rock he was sitting on, and they easily bit into solid stone as he steadied his calm. The happiness, it was as if it had sucked in all the positives of the world into a single roaring fire, leaving the rest of the world to scavenge for an ember of a smile, searching endlessly through the burnt crisps of sadness.

And it made him shake it was so vile. This "great" nation had already taken so much from others, and had finally been confronted about it. The story of Amegakure had already been spread, but they had accepted none of the guilt. It was the repeated cycle of the plight of the smaller nations, in motion so many years after the Fourth Shinobi War, and yet they still dared to claim unity and peace?

Other insurrections had occurred. Much smaller, those working in the fallen name of Madara Uchiha, for the sake of a real peace, struggling to overcome military might. Obviously, none had succeeded. Crushed to the ground and left to bleed out. Indeed, the Land of Rivers had faded out of existence after the quiet destruction of its shinobi village when it had revolted.

He let his gaze travel away from the spectacle below, knowing it would only bring up more useless emotions. The six stone faces stared straight back at him, as if daring him to make a move. He had, ever since he had first seen the monument as a child, always wondered what it would be like to see their actual faces in motion. How would they look, in the midst of this false celebration? And how would they look when their cruelty was exposed?

How would they look, when he revealed the ugly truth to everyone, instead of the lovely lie the First Hokage had created? Seeing their illusion shattered before their very eyes would be the ultimate completion of his dreams. But no, he had a whole world who could observe. He stared back at their faces, his own face stony and bold.

The blonde was halfway up the street. It was time to make sure everything was in place. He stood up and gave the monument a final look of cold indifference before turning and stamping his left foot twice.

In an instant the two were there. Their speed never surprised them. "Is everything finished?"

"Yes, Lord S," said the man on the left. His tone betrayed his impatience. "Why haven't we started? No one will be expecting-"

His eyes were a sharp, icy blue that resembled nothing on another human; a simple, unique genetic trait. His face was pale and, despite his age, bore lines of stress from long days and nights of thought. He bore a more sinister look than the average human face, something that had changed from his once peaceful appearance, and the ability for his face to stay calm and flat remained one of his most striking features. The blue eyes flicked for a moment at the man, boring into the others eyes with icy challenge.

Todo began to shake and bowed his head, reduced to silence. He had trained them both well, and they were the most prominent members of their group. That was part of the reason why he had decided to take them under his direct wing. Todo was slower than Konan, and he still needed correction every now and then.

She was shivering, though he had not looked at her. He hid his eye again and allowed the calm, moderated look to return. "Don't be so concerned, Konan. You know as well as I our friend Todo still needs correction every now and then. Relax."

"Y-yes, m'lord." They stayed kneeling; he allowed himself a brief feeling of satisfaction.

"You both may stand. This will be your final test."

He saw them shiver again, this time with mingled anticipation and eagerness. A wonderful combination, but the face stayed as cold as his feelings. He turned around and looked back down on the crowd and blonde speck.

"Tell me, why do you think that so many people have showed up for the Seventh's Inauguration?"

They went to work. The easiest answer would be that the next Kage Summit was within a few days, but they knew he wanted them to go deeper than the surface. That was what he wanted.

"He's a war hero," Todo said gruffly. "Famous throughout the entire land. People want a moment to be a part of the sensation and to be in the presence of one as powerful as he is."

"Yes, but that's not everything. Konan?"

Her eyes were closed, he could tell. She did that when she thought deeply, when she analyzed everything. That was why he liked her, she was able to evaluate the situation in a blink, and assemble all those facts into a complete answer in moment. When he had found her, she had been erased of memory, a desolate flower wilting in the water, yet her intelligence had stayed. She was a real genius, unlike Todo's slower mind, all the way from flowing blue hair to the shiny black sandals.

"He inspires them," she said finally, her tone bitter. "He's a symbol of hope to them of what could be. He reputation as a kinder breed of shinobi is known throughout the continent... everyone below wants a glimpse of that."

The cold blue eyes scanned the crowd surrounding the yellow beacon, the different types of headbands and outfits scattered like different types of seeds, all waiting to be sewn. "Correct," he breathed. "Now that you know that he is hope, how does it tie into this variation of the Kage Summit?"

"All the little villages are expecting a voice now," said Todo smartly. "They think with an open-mind like the Seventh's out on the field, they'll have a chance. They've tried each time one of the previous Kage's stepped down, to no success. But this one's reputation and position of hope gives them one final shot at it." Todo gave a snort of displeasure. "And they'll be stamped down into place again."

He smiled tightly, the first time he could recall it in some time. They were doing well. "These smaller villages have been trampled upon by the Great Nations ever since their creation, even though the end of the Fourth Shinobi War stated equality would stretch out across the continent. You are quite right in your observations. But we still have to answer the question." He dipped into silence, watching the blonde's progress take him to the steps leading up to the top of the Hokage Monument. The crowd cheered as their beacon of hope ascended.

"Question? Which one, we've answered them all?" Todo murmured.

"He means your question about why we are still waiting for the Seventh to finish his parade," she muttered back. "And that answer is fairly clear now."

"Why do we wait?" he asked her, knowing Todo was lost again. He was strong, but not as quick with his mind. Both were young, open-minded disciples to tutelage, much like the proud blonde below had been to the famed Sannin. She alone would have the answer, she alone was the ultimate success.

"We have to let the people see what they want," she said quietly. "To see their symbol of hope rise... and then fall."

"Yes," he whispered, pleased. "These people have been brought up by lies and misgivings, from Great to Small Nation. They think this one boy, an inexperienced and lucky war hero, can help change their world. But he said the same thing as soon as the war ended, and nothing has changed. The lucky few who live in these great nations prosper even more, while the smaller ones continue to hold false hope things will get better."

They were alarmed at his harsh tone. He had rarely adopted it, had rarely adopted any emotion. Calm and cool logic was the only way correct way to live by. He calmed himself once more, hiding the anger deep within himself, letting it build. He inhaled, but it only frustrated him more. The smell of alcohol, burning candles, and people, so many people! Clustered so happily together, they were so _greedy..._

"Lord S," said Konanbroke in hesitantly. "We have faith in you. This is our moment, please be calm. There won't be any need to be angry soon."

She was dedicated to his well being. He let his eyes open to slits and saw the cursed man was almost to the top. "Time for action," he said, turning to face them again. "Report to your stations and alert the rest. You have your orders, and now it is time to give order to others."

Todo nodded and was gone in a flash, obviously having felt more uncomfortable than Konan. She had remained behind, having knelt back down. She wanted something from him, and he scanned her again. Her intentions for him were unclear; she was his prized student, and he valued her skills and eagerness immensely, but he could tell that she held forbidden emotions for him, odd disparities of romance.

"I asked you to return to your station," he said calmly, not looking at her.

"We have faith in you," she said again, more confident this time. "You alone have the strength, Lord. That's why we follow you."

He mused over her words, decided to still not look at her. He did not need to hear her confidence, he had enough of his own. The world would hate him at first, then come to adore him. He did not seek it for the sake of power, he sought it because no one else could wield it, and that was where he would win over the world.

Still, it felt wrong to erect a wall so strong to her, in their moment of triumph. "I appreciate your faith. Now return to your post, and prepare to witness your words come into action."

He sensed her acknowledgement, and with a faint _whoosh_ she was gone, leaving him alone again.

The young man was at the top of the Hokage Monument. Below, the cheering crowd had gone respectfully silent. The current Sixth, the silver haired wonder Kakashi Hatake was presenting the distinguished hat of the Kage, red and fiery. A little ways behind, the original Fifth Hokage stood by, as well as the family of the young man. A beautiful, black haired woman and two children, all gazing at their father with unmasked joy.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out his mask. It was one of a kind, a relic of the Uzumaki Clan he had taken from the ashes of the fallen village when he had begun searching for the truth. It was a bone white death mask, something placed on those departed, to hide their face for reasons unknown to him. The indentations and mark

ings resembled a skull perfectly, but that was not it's most distinguishing feature.

 _It's almost time._ The blonde "hero" had accepted the hat and was now waving, beaming down at the crowd below. His children had run to him and clutched both his legs; they couldn't be more than five. His wife hugged and kissed his cheek, while the ex-Sixth shook hands with him, then stepped respectfully back. The freshly anointed Hokage was about to speak to the people. To speak more lies about how things would change, and that the next Kage Summit in the next few days would be a great success.

He slid the skull mask over his own, and he felt it connect to his face, latching onto his skin like a piece of armor. He blinked once, and then he was in control. He opened his mouth, and felt the skull also part it's mouth. It was apart of him; he was death incarnate. His eyes would be pools of empty darkness, his mouth an eater of lies.

Today, death would be justice.

He put his palms together and did the hand sign. He looked back at the blonde, was faintly surprised to see that Naruto Uzumaki was looking back it him. How ironic the last thing he would see was the last relic of his defeated clan.

"Behold, the truth," the mask whispered gratingly.

Then the first bomb in the Hokage Monument went off.


	2. Prologue 2

XXX

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

As one, the world began to tilt and fall on its axis. It had seemed so still and perfect before, and now it was crashing around him. The prized hat that he sought for all those years slipped from his fingertips and went floating away, towards the Hokage Monument.

Everything was stone and fire. He saw Granny Tsunade and Hinata grabbing the children and elders, taking them away from the upset of death. Already, bodies littered the once polished ground. The stone now shined with polish and blood.

And he had seen who had done it.

He caught himself and picked himself up immediately, but again he stumbled. _My right ear's been shot by the explosion, I can't hear... everything's so dizzy..._

The world was not flat, it was tilted right. How could all those people still be standing?

Things were calming. The orange had faded, leaving thick smoke and loose rubble. And bodies, so many bodies. He looked at one and saw that the woman was still alive, but it was only in her eyes. The shockwave had struck her back, in the spine and she was now paralyzed. Her eyes told unspoken pain.

 _Pain..._ It was to much like the unexpectedness of Nagato's attack all those years ago. The Six Pains, attacking the village. The colossal battle of the Sage Mode protege versus the Third Sage of Six Paths.

But this time there was no Pain to attack, no Akatsuki to blame. The Pains and Madaras of the world had been crushed in the years of peace after the War. Things had settled down... hadn't they?

A second explosion went off, followed quickly by a third, fourth, fifth, all consecutive and rapid. The entire platform erupted, throwing him off balance and then into the air. The few attendees who had not yet cleared off were also tossed into the air like puppets cut from their strings. Helpless, frail, they fell down to the ground as the thousands in the crowd turned their cheers into screams.

 _I'm Hokage, I need to be protecting these people. Come on, Naruto, get up, get moving. This is what we've been waiting for, to protect Konoha as Hokage!_

He sprang into action just before he hit the broken surface of the ground. He dashed forward, catching the paralyzed woman. Dodging falling stoned and catching another unconscious body along the way, he ran off to the side where Kakashi and the rest had gathered into safety. He dropped the two off, looked to rescue more-

A sixth explosion, larger than the rest, enveloped the entire platform. He covered his eyes in shock as all the bodies left there vaporized, and the railing, which had been loosened from the initial blasts, went free falling out into the crowd and lights.

Even that sense of security had been broken.

"Naruto!"

"Hinata..."

She came up and hugged him quickly, parted just as fast. "What's going on? Who's doing this?"

He clutched her shoulders but his face turned towards the figure he had seen on the opposite side of the village. The one who had been staring right at him, creating an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. But now he was gone, swallowed up by the darkness.

He relaxed himself, released himself from his wife. "Get everyone off the platform, instruct Shikamaru to start moving the crowd out of the village," he said smoothly. "Then have our sensory ninja start looking for rogue chakra signatures. This isn't another nation, it's a terrorist group."

Her eyes widened in alarm as he closed his own eyes, trying his best to remain in control so not to worry her. The orange markings spread out on his eyes, and when he opened them they were the sideways irises of the toad. He looked back at her and gave her a reassuring smile. "Just stay safe, this won't take long."

"That's right, it won't." The voice came right behind him, but as he whirled to slash into where the neck should have been, there was nothing there. The man- he was sure it was the same one- had jumped backwards, onto the desecrated platform. The faces of the previous Hokage all seemed to stare at him in anger.

And the face of the Seventh was no exception. "Who are you? What are you doing here?"

The other man had his back to him, his face looking up at the Hokages. He did not reply.

"Answer me, you bastard!" He dashed forward, the rock cracking from the speed of which he moved. But the man was suddenly gone again, this time standing at the edge of the platform, looking out over the crowd. Below, he could hear gasps of alarm and shock. Still, he could not get a look at his face.

"What do you want?"

The man lifted up his left hand. "I am going to tell you not what I want, but rather what you want to hear, and then we will see the difference." He extended his index finger and swirled it twice. Naruto blinked, and then two more people appeared right next to him. In an instant, they were turning and lunging for him. Their faces were set in fanatical determination, eyes steely. They wore jet black uniforms but with shining silver shoulder pads.

With Sage Mode, he could filter their movements and determine where they would strike. He swerved left out of range of a fast-approaching palm, and retaliated by slamming his own palm into his chest. That attacker went tumbling to the ground, gasping for breath. The other managed to avoid meeting the same fate, dipping down below the Seventh's hand. He brought his fist up and struck the elbow joint, lifting his arm away-

The Seventh whirled his leg around and slammed the man into the ground face first, removing him from the battle.

"You want to believe I hold no purpose other than violence and chaos, am I right?" The face had observed the fight calmly, watching every move he made.

But it was not a face at all, but rather a bone-white skeleton face. Somehow, it was attached to his face as if he were a skull. The eyes were hollow, the teeth bared. A death mask, one he had seen several times in a museum, but never had he seen it worn. They were the sort put on those who were deceased, to show they no longer belonged to the world but gone onto a spiritual, unworldly one.

The Skeleton did not seem disturbed in the slightest by his comrades defeats. Now the Seventh gazed back into those empty eyes. Below, the crowd of people watch the confrontation of the two shinobi silently.

"I want to _know_ why you're here," the Hokage countered. "I'm not making any assumptions-"

"I heard you say you thought we were a terrorist group," the other interrupted smoothly. His lofty, overly confidently tone made him unsettled. "And what do all terrorists want to cause? Destruction. Death. To make their cause known. To deviate from the norm to accomplish their goals. Perhaps that is what I am doing now, but I am far from such barbarism."

He clenched his fists. "I don't need a lecture. Tell me why you're here, or I'll force the answer out of you!"

The death mask shook its head. "So this is the man who saved the world? You are unworthy to lead the new generation." The Seventh's eyes widened in surprise. His opponent's voice had suddenly grow cold, darker. The coolness was still there, but now these new emotions were laced in and detectable. The skull's face brought about a wild, barbaric side in the man, but the words were conformed and smooth. _A dangerous mix of personality, there's something strange about him._

"So that's it?" Naruto ventured. "It's a personal vendetta against me and my initiation as Hokage?"

"You are certainly apart of the problem," the man agreed. "But it is a much larger change I plan to bring. You see, while we follow the same actions of the terrorists you are acquainted with, our goal is not to separate from the norm, but to _create_ the new norm." The skull smiled, and Naruto froze. _How can he make a mask do something like that? It's an inanimate object... or is that his real face? Is he really just a walking bag of bones?_

He lost his concentration as he watched the corners of the mouth rise, and he felt Sage Mode leave him. _What is he?_

"...You still haven't told me what you want," he tried one last time, but his own confidence was uneasy. The very presence of the man in front of him was unsettling.

The smiling skull tilted its head as if looking at a small child. "True. But I find words are often just excuses made for action. And we've been talking for quite some time with all your admires wondering what on earth were saying." The left hand raised again, palm open. "So allow me to tell you all what I plan to do." The hand closed.

The faces of the six Hokage exploded all at once, the stone ripping away from its foundations and sending massive chunks into the now screaming crowd. Naruto watched in horror, and then his horror turned into rage. In an instant he was back in Sage Mode. He lunged forward, but the man was gone again, reappearing right next to his outstretched arm.

"You could hurt someone doing that," he commented, resting one hand on the arm and letting it carry him a little. Then he brought his other elbow down on it-

He allowed his own elbow to bend inward, causing the man to stoop forward a little. He lashed out with his left leg, intending to sweep the others legs out from beneath him. His speed ought to make it a maneuver no ordinary shinobi would be able to counter, unless-

The skeleton eyes looked dead into his own, and in the very dark pits of them, he saw a faint, icy blue, outlined in a murky brown-

The other caught his leg and grabbed his foot, swinging around while rubble rained about them. He released the Seventh and threw him out towards the middle of the platform. Naruto caught himself, but he was stunned. "Just what the hell are you?" he shouted amid the rain of destruction. Those strange brown outlines...

"I can tell by your face you saw it, yes?"

"Who are you, what are you-!"

"I am many things, Naruto Uzumaki. But what those things are can wait for a while. I simply want to show the world what I want right now." He walked past Naruto, up to the edge of the cliff so that he stood before the crowd. They began to boo him, and loose trash found their way up into the air to try and hit the death mask.

 _Clap._ The man had put his palms together. Naruto scanned the crowd, eyes wide, wondering what sort of jutsu he was unveiling. More bombs? Or maybe he was just trying to garner their attention?

He stamped his left foot twice. "Hold him."

A fist struck him in the back of his head. Confused, he looked behind. Two people were there, both wearing death masks, though not as realistic as the Skeleton's. A tall, well-built man, probably the one who had struck him, and a blue-haired female that was disconcertingly familiar...

 _How did I not sense their approach in Sage Mode?_

Suddenly, explosions. Still dimmed by the blow to the head, he watched as the buildings running along the street turned into orange balls of heat and fire, blown apart from the inside out. Below, the crowd of his supporters suddenly turned into a mob of fear and pain as the wreckage tumbled onto them, lighting many on fire and killing other outright.

The skeleton mask was turned back to face him again.

"You... bastard..." He tried to lunge again, and broke free of his two captors. His fist stretched out to land a strike on the mask he now hated so much-

The mask smiled with welcome, then struck him across the face. He landed on the cracked ground, groaning.

"They already call you Konoha's Orange Hokage," the man said quietly, just loud enough to be heard over the sounds of chaos. "And before you, there was the Yellow Flash. Both prodigious shinobi who became leaders. Both prodigious shinobi who watched as their village came under attack, and were unable to do anything to stop it. Tell me, Naruto Uzumaki, do you like the banners of your colors I have spread for your village?"

The orange flames were everywhere, alright.

"All because of you."

"Just what do you want, you sick, psychotic, detrimental-"

"Did I not say words can only go so far? But enough is enough. Time to go."

He blinked in surprise. "That's it? You blow everything up and then you just _leave_?"

"This is merely a demonstration. I will be back, Seventh, to finish my shinobi way revival. Perhaps then I will answer your questions."

In an instant they were all gone, leaving to who knew where. He blinked smoke out of his watering eyes. He tried to sense their presence, but they were all gone. There was not a single unusual chakra signature to be found in the village.

 _What... was that?_

"Old man!"

"Boruto..."

The last thing he saw before he slipped into unconsciousness was his son's worried face and Hinata's watering eyes.


	3. Chapter 1- Lost

**XXX**

There was no clear answer for how to proceed after what was immediately labeled the Second Konoha Crush. The Hokage Monument was obliterated, the once triumphant and awe inspiring stone faces wiped from the cliff face. The damage done to the main street was also critical. Seventy-four people were dead, fifty commoners and twenty-four shinobi, some from other nations. Countless more were injured and even the Hokage's advisor Shikamaru was unable to keep up with the demands. Finally, the public had centered around demanding an update on the situation. Who had done this? Were they terrorists? Was it another nation? Would the monument be repaired? When would they see their wounded daughter, or mother, or father?

Shikamaru Nara answered all the questions the next evening after the incident, with the comforting presence of esteemed shinobi like Sakura Hurano, the former Hokage Kakashi Hatake, and Konohamaru Sarutobi.

"The situation is stable," Shikamaru finished his speech. "That is the most important thing right now, that order remains established and the security of everyone is assured. the culprits will be found and brought to light in due time, for now we simply ask for the public to remain calm and allow the government to do its job."

He stepped back from the podium, and for a moment it seemed all the reporters and people assembled would indeed be satisfied and follow his word. Then: "And where's the Hokage?"

The Advisor paused, turned back to the podium. "He's occupied with administrative detailed and couldn't attend. Thank you all for attending."

"That's a lie!" came the same voice, and this time Shikamaru squinted into the crowd to find the source. A few reporters did the same, but most were staring at him suspiciously. "I have photos; he's not left the hospital bed since the attack! He lies there unmoving, unable to help… we are a nation without its leader!"

The crowd seemed to drink this in, and then the photos went scattering out over the crowd and the calm setting erupted into pandemonium. Some shouted questions to the podium, others scrambled for pictures, while others grew terrified and ran in a hurry. The conference ended when Kakashi Hatake noticed one reporter had fallen and was being trampled by those trying to flee, and shot purple lightning above all their heads to end the riot.

And so the events of the Second Konoha Crush finally began with chaos and ended in disorder, while the newscast stations erupted over the disappearance of the village's new leader when they needed him most.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, The Seventh Hokage**

Naruto lied on the bed, as still as when the instigator from the conference had seen him from his window. He was no longer injured; what wounds he had gotten from his scuffle with The Skeleton, as the media referred to him, had been healed by medics relatively quickly and easily. However, they were unable to lift the silence from his lips, nor his inability to move.

They said it was not a curse mark or illness that had snuck up on him, but rather his body was not cooperating with his mind.

 _I couldn't stop them from destroying half the village,_ he said to himself over and over again. _How couldn't I have beaten that guy? I'm one of the strongest shinobi alive, the other only being Sasuke! Sure, Toneri proved difficult in the beginning, but this man was no Ootsutsuki, I didn't have the same feeling with him as I did with them. He was just another shinobi… then how couldn't I top him?_

His mind rested only on his inability to succeed. He ran over all the possibilities he could in his mind on how to counter their next attack. _He said he'd be back. I can't let anything else get in the way until I find and kill him._ But then the self-doubt would return, and he would slink away into an immobile sense of helplessness and depression.

It wasn't until two visitors arrived, at different times, to remind him of the world.

The door opened, and he didn't pay attention to it. His mind was busy rummaging through possible identities of the Skeleton, but there were so many that his mind turned sluggish. It was only when the weight of someone sitting on the bed finally forced his attention, as no nurse or doctor had done that. When he saw who it was, he dimmed his mind again and went back to going through who it could be.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked bluntly. "The village needs you more than ever but you haven't lifted a finger. The doctor said you're in perfect physical peak. What's going on in your head?"

If there was anyone he could talk to equally, it was Sasuke. "The Skeleton. Who was he?"

Sasuke shrugged unconcernedly. "Some wild terrorist who we'll catch soon. Don't tell me _he's_ got you worked up?"

"He beat me, Sasuke. He did a lot of damage to the village, and if one of those bombs had been set for my family-"

"He got lucky," Sasuke said sharply. "We're the two most powerful shinobi alive; who else who would have enough power to actually fight you? There's no one else who can match our level."

"The Ootsutsuki-"

"Are extinct. Toneri said he was the last, the attacker can't be from that forgotten clan."

"And he was from the _moon_. He could have come from somewhere off planet-"

"I would have felt a disturbance in dimension shifting," he interrupted impatiently. "You were surprised by the attack and thus you didn't think clearly. If Sakura and Sarada were threatened in the same way, and I was in your place and not somewhere else, I might have succumbed to clumsy attack too."

Naruto cast a sidelong glance at him, his eyes undefeated. "Shin Uchiha got the drop on you, and you recovered like I did, but he still was a challenge."

Sasuke sighed, visibly restraining his anger. "You can't lie in bed forever, loser," he said instead. "The village needs you. Shikamaru is keeping things stable, but they want to see their _real_ leader." Sasuke got up and went to leave. "And I want to see the real Naruto." He shut the door and left the Orange Hokage alone again to think.

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

In the market square, where commerce thrived and the merchants from the other villages who had arrived for the Kage Summit had arrived in droves, Flint casually walked among the shouts and calls for prices. The industrial emergence after the Fourth Shinobi War had stretched far, but at that it had begun in Kumogakure. The Land of Fire had only just begun its advancement, as evidenced by the skeletal framing of skyscrapers pearing over the cliffside of the Hokage Monument.

Flint whistled easily, nodding to strangers, wearing casual clothing. His Takigakure headband was tucked safely in his vest pocket, out of sight where anyone might see. For now, he was the perfect commoner blending in the sea. In his hand, he carried an innocent shopping bag full of his tools.

His eyes traveled to the left. Dent was walking a few yards away, also carrying his bag. Their eyes met and a brief nod of assessment was made. Further back, he knew Romaji was walking alongside. They looked completely different, with no way to connect them as being from the same village, or having the same objective.

He was reaching the edge of the crowd, and he saw the Kusagakure advocates. "Bring smaller nations to the Summit!" they cried to anyone who would listen. "Equal representation of the shinobi world!"

Yes, with the new Hokage leading the Summit, the chance for smaller nation representation was at its highest, and who knew when it might be again? All the new Kage were young and spirited and powerful now, there would be no new Kages anytime soon. This would be the last chance for universal democracy in a generation.

 _Not that it will happen,_ Flint thought to himself. _Not with our plight kept under wraps. These individual attempts will go nowhere, just look at the hundreds of people not acknowledging these Grass Ninja. We need organized action, a unified front instead of these smaller nations squabbling for a seat of power!_

He clutched his bag tighter, picked up his pace. Romaji had picked an excellent apartment building, fresh and towering at four stories. Decorative large stones lined the ridge of the building. It was the best example of bloated Konohagakure funds while his son back in Takigakure scrambled for a loaf of bread.

Dent walked a little past him, then sat down on the sidewalk and pulled out a newspaper. Nobody paid him any mind, and Flint sat his bag down. It was four days past the Crush; no one would be expecting anything so soon.

Slipping his hand into the bag, he felt around for a prime weapon. His fingers found the perfect one, and he withdrew his hand carrying it. A woman stopped and looked at him, not knowing what to say.

He took a deep breath, then with a loud roar, he threw the overripe tomato at the second floor window. "Equality for the Summit!" he shouted ferociously. "We want it _now!"_

Several people were staring at him now, perhaps seven. He didn't let it faze him; his hand went back in the bag and pulled out three more tomatoes. "We want equality now!" He threw one, two-

"Justice for the forgotten!" shouted a voice, one not belonging to either Dent or Romaji. His third tomato splattered the same window, but another one was hit by three other fruit. The windows were splattered a brilliant red and yellow now.

Suddenly, more and more fruits were being tossed, and the people watching were no longer just watching. Fruit sailed at the building, hitting the walls, windows, door, every inch. The crowd was growing exponentially, quickly doubling and tripling in size. In the crowd, he knew Romaji and Dent were spurring on the cries and throwing as well.

His hand reached back into the bag for a deadlier weapon, and this time he threw a stone. The sound of the window breaking was like an airhorn being set off over the crowd, and they suddenly quieted down to look at the sudden damage.

Then, as one, the three of them threw rocks, and they struck the building, scarring the fresh paint and striking yet another window. This time, the crowd gave yells of approval, and many shambled forward to grab the decorative stones lining the building. Multiple thuds were heard mixed in with the yells, as was the cracking and tinkling of glass.

He knew the Konoha police would not be hesitant forever. They would be coming soon and the riot would be quelled. His hand swooped into the bag one last time and withdrew the rock he had rigged with the explosive tag. He then threw his bag into the air, letting fruits and rocks scatter free for the crowd to enjoy.

 _Let the revolution begin,_ he thought quietly to himself. He activated the rock then chucked it. It sailed through the third story window easily. He immediately began shambling his way out of the crowd. He knew Dent and Romaji were doing the same or had fled. There was no point in staying around with the crowd to risk capture. No, they would be carry on the fight, that was for certain.

The explosion blew up and showered the crowd in rubble. A plume of smoke went up into the sky to testify the unspoken rage of the smaller nations.

Justice would come, as surely as the police did and broke up the riot effectively. However, they could save the apartment from burning up, nor could they find the instigators.

Perhaps if they had looked at the local coffee shop and asked the three seated smiling men with no drinks at all, they might have come up with a clue.


	4. Chapter 2- Son's Strength

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The doctors left a report created by Shikamaru himself detailing the events of the Timuujin Market Square, but he didn't read it. They didn't do anything except play shogi now, occasionally checking to see if he was willing to talk. But no, the Orange Hokage remained silent. No more visitors were allowed after Sasuke, as they reasoned if his best friend was unable to get through to him, it was futile for anyone else. Time would be the healer here, while the village screamed for its leader.

But as was said earlier, it was two guests that finally brought our hero back to life.

He was staring at his food tray that had been brought hours earlier when he heard the doctor's quiet snorts over the game turn into surprise.

"How did you get in here? What are you-"

There were three doctors monitoring him today, and he heard three bodies hit the ground. He turned his head to the door, highly alert.

 _It's him. I have to end this now-_

The door flew open, and he flew out of bed, hand stretched out for a Rasengan-

"Old man?" Boruto stood in the doorway, alarmed by his father's readiness. "They said you weren't moving at all, this is great! Were you just getting ready to leave, or did I wake you out of a coma or something!"

Naruto slumped back into bed, defeated again. He didn't reply.

"Hey! Wake up old man!" Boruto jumped on the bed, jolting Naruto's body but not his mind. _When will Skeleton strike again? Will it be Konoha, or another ninja village? What is he really after, who's working for him? Does he have spies inside the village? All of these issues, and I can't resolve one._

"You're thinking about the masked guy, aren't you? Sasuke sensei said that was all you were thinking about, he was really upset."

Naruto sighed. "He's a very grave threat."

"Sasuke sensei doesn't think so."

"Sasuke wasn't even there to help," he replied bitterly. "What would he know about the enemy?"

Boruto hit him in the face, and Naruto flinched, utterly surprised. to see his son glaring at him with uncontained anger and frustration. "How can you be thinking about how to stop this guy when you haven't even tried to leave the bed? Have you heard _anything_ about what's going on outside!"

Naruto didn't reply, instead brought a hand up to feel the mark on his face. Boruto got off the bed and went to the television in the corner of the room. He flipped it on and instantly the news channel was there.

" _...the Tobimara-Class Apartment Building, the first of the newest luxury brand living quarters buildings, has been confirmed to be unable to be saved. Fire crews are working on a controlled demolition to bring down the building without harming other structures. Two casualties of people inside the building are confirmed, while-"_

He flipped the channel to a talk show, where a Shimogakure shinobi from the Land of Frost was talking to three Land of Fire politicians.

" _... so you're saying you disagree with the methods Konohagakure has used to respond to the Second Crush?"_

" _Yes, they're unfounded and weak. They claim they are searching for the terrorists but no approval for this went through us, meaning they are in fact_ not _looking for this highly dangerous new organization that has reared its ugly head."_

" _How do you think they need to respond, Senator?"_

" _By bringing the new Hokage out of his resting home and allowing him to take matters into his own hand! His advisor Shikamaru Nara is just not up to the task of taking an offensive stance on the situation. Until he returns to office, these terrorists will believe they can continue unchallenged, and who knows where they might strike next, and who they may target-"_

Boruto switched off the television and looked over at his father. He saw the documents detailing the Market Square attack and thrusted it into his father's quivering grasp. "The village needs you again, Dad," he said, his own voice trembling. "Mom needs you too, and so does Himawari. Sasuke sensei misses his friend, Aunt Sakura doesn't stop worrying about you. Shikamaru needs you to follow, and everyone else needs your strength." He sighed, looked Naruto straight in the face and forced a smile. "And I need someone to be my rival, old man."

Naruto looked at Boruto, gripping the report in his hands. _He's right, he's absolutely right. What have I been doing here, sulking about how to go about this instead of actually trying to do something. All of these people depending on me, family and friends._ He shook his head, flexed his hands around the papers. _I can't just hide from my problems and hope for the better, I'm the one everyone looks up to now. What a fool I've been._

He got up again, and Boruto looked at him hopefully. "You finally come to your senses, old man?"

"Yeah," he said smartly, stretching his arms. "I think I just needed a bolt to shake me up."

 **XXX**

The reporters were buzzing. A rumor had flown through the village that the Orange Hokage's son had broken into a high security building, and immediately the speculation that the new Hokage's reputation was already being foiled. Within fifteen minutes of Boruto Uzumaki's entrance to the building, all major news stations had gathered out front with a calvary of cameras and microphones.

However, they were all unprepared for when the Hokage himself strode out the front doors with his son at his side. For a moment, the cameras, microphones, and jaws dropped, and then they all came up and the two were bombarded with questions as they exited the premises.

"Seventh Hokage, what have you been doing inside the Tsunade Hospital Facility?"

"How do you plan to respond to the recent criticism against your leadership with your absence?"

"What actions have you taken in the investigation in Timuujin Market Square-"

He waved a hand at all of them, and magically they simmered down. He put a hand on his son's head and looked all the reporters in the eye individually. The anticipation was palpable.

"The man who we've labeled Skeleton will be brought to justice for his crimes against the people, I swear upon it," The Seventh said smoothly. "That should satisfy all your questions."

Perplexed, the reporters tried asking more questions or to get a good shot of the two, but no other answer was forthcoming as they strode through the crowd to the Hokage office.

When they were out of earshot, Boruto finally whispered, "Nice show, old man. If anything you're just making it harder for yourself by not actually telling them what you're gonna do. Speaking which, what _are_ you gonna do?"

"Actions speak louder than words, Boruto." He put an arm around his child's shoulder and brought him in for a side hug, but with his other hand he was clenching it so tightly his palms bled. _He woke me up, but there's still nothing that can be done yet. We don't know who he is, or what he wants. And he's still powerful…_

 _And that was Sage Mode. There's no mistaking the purple outlines, they're like the ones Kabuto showed me, and they're like my orange Toad Sage ones. His power definitely comes from that…_

He had thought there was no other Sages besides him and Kabuto. The act of going to Mount Myoboku or Ryuchi Cave was difficult enough in itself, but to actually have the talent to go ahead and master natural energy…

The obsession over Skeleton was not over. He was out and moving instead of lying in isolated predicament, but challenging this threat was still a ways in coming.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The Hokage Office was filled when he arrived. Shikamaru was behind the desk, his face half hidden behind a stack of reports. Sakura was there, talking with Omoi, one of the chief diplomats between Kumogakure and Konohagakure. Sasuke was off in the corner, leaning against the wall. He was already smiling as the real Hokage entered. A number of attendants were also present, some just waiting to speak with Shikamaru, others filing papers.

"...Lord A will be arriving soon," Omoi was saying. "He wishes to visit the Lady Tsunade, and also observe the Kage Summit. Lord Raikage will be coming a few days after-" His voice cut off as he noticed the tall blonde enter the room, and he began to choke on his own words.

"Omoi, breathe," Sakura said calmly, patting him on the back. The result was a loud _crack_ as her immense strength cracked his back, and he instead collapsed to the ground. "Oh, sorry, I-" She saw him, and her face changed from concern to relief. However, she still slapped him hard across the face, as he expected. However, she instantly hugged him after. "It's good to have you back," she whispered.

 _Some things never change,_ he thought dryly to himself. He looked down at Boruto, who was surpressing a laugh; he had already seen Sakura reprimand him several times.

"Go outside, Boruto," he told his son warmly. "You've played the hero enough today."

"Fine, Old Man, but I want a sparring match tonight!"

"Of course." Boruto left, leaving all the adults, who had by now noticed him, were staring open-mouthed. Naruto smiled at them all, noticed that the long-dead Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai's daughter Mirai Sarutobi was among the people staring, as well as Konohamaru Sarutobi, who he knew would be his successor someday. The rest were other fresh jonin, full of youth and strength.

 _The new generation already moving in._ "Well, uh, I'm back," he said simply. "Shikamaru, uh..."

"You're back." His advisor had already stood up from his chair and was walking towards him. His voice was tinted with frustration. "Done lounging in your bed while the whole village is in turmoil?"

"I'm sorry-"

"You're _sorry_?" That was Mirai, stepping forward, her face tense with rage. "I may not be apart of the Inner Jonin Circle yet, but even I know there's been nothing wrong with you, just defeatism. Meanwhile, the rest of us have been out working, and Shikamaru slaving away at the job _you're_ meant to be doing!"

He sighed. The faces of shock had turned to anger. Only Sakura, Sasuke, and Konohamaru remained soft towards him. Omoi awkwardly shuffled in place. "I'll take my leave," he injected hesitantly, then all but ran from the room.

Konohamaru stepped forward. "This is no way to treat our new Hokage," he said firmly. "Would any of you have been right on your feet mentally after an attack on your ceremony? Give the man a break!"

"The great hero has already failed his village first day on the job," Mirai scoffed. "Here's my report, I'm leaving."

She left in a flourish, and soon after all the others had done the same until only Konohamaru remained. He sighed, looked apologetically at Naruto. "Don't mind her, Naruto. It's been a rough few days; everyone will be happy to have you back soon." He laid his report on the table and then he, too, took off.

Shikamaru simply brushed past him roughly. "Do your job," was all he said. The office was empty except for the original Team 7.

His shoulders sagged. "I can't say I expected any better."

Sasuke shrugged, then came up behind Sakura and wrapped an arm around her waist. "And I can't say I expected any more. But now that you're back... how about you do your job?"

 **XXX**

 **S, Known to the world as "Skeleton"**

He read the report from Flint's Team. There had been numerous other attempts from other implants in other villages to stage uprisings, but none had been nearly as successful. The ones in Sunagakure had in fact been captured, but they had followed procedure and bitten into their cyanide pills, silencing themselves rather than spill what secrets they held.

Konohagakure would remain the most ripe suspect to revolt. The people were softer there, more malleable. The presence of the smaller nations would help fuel this and cast out Naruto, and then he would be able to begin the real revolution.

After finishing the paper, he handed them over to Konan, who obediently put them off to the side, Todo sloshed his drink around indifferently, seemingly not knowing what to do with himself. Finally, he stood up and stood before him. He had his mask off, and allowed his eyes trail to his subordinate to acknowledge his presence.

"Going out to check on the new recruits," he grunted, bowing his head. "Be sure we don't have any snoops."

"I would have felt it if there was deceit among our ranks, Todo," he said smoothly. "You will find only those loyal to the cause here."

The big man shrugged. "Doesn't hurt to double check, m'lord."

He was waiting for his permission to let him go, but a new idea was crossing his mind. They had taken no action since the Crush, minus the injection of spies into the village. The press was cooling down. The deaths and destruction had already been numbed to the public; they needed a shaking.

"Konan, give me the report from Source M again."

She did so quickly, quietly handed him the file. He skimmed it over while Todo shuffled awkwardly in place, awaiting his dismissal.

"'The old Fourth Raikage has left his village to view the Summit and visit his old comrade Tsunade,'" he mused aloud. "The Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, walking with a minimal guard to Konohagakure. His stubbornness has carried even more so through his old age. Todo, why not pay him a visit?"

Todo perked up. "The previous Raikage?"

"He's a symbol of rigid formality and the traditional ruggedness of the shinobi world." He got up from elevated throne, a relic they had taken from the old Uzimake Village when they had raided the ruins. He walked down the marble steps and stood before the other. Todo was taller and larger than he was, but still the other trembled and cowered as he stood before him.

"It would do us good to see him killed, or at the least broken to the point of death. While Naruto's credibility has been somewhat tarnished, it has not been enough to weaken the resolve of the nations. We need something more solid to weaken their foundation, and then send the rest tumbling down."

"We are moving into the second phase early, then?" the larger man asked hopefully.

"No," he stated sharply, cutting down the hope quickly. Even the tiniest bit of hope that defied the plan was unacceptable. Everything was perfectly laid out; nothing, especially not Todo's impatience for violence, would ruin things. "Kill the old Raikage, then return. They can find his body on the road and know that we cannot be forgotten so easily."

Todo grinned in return and bowed, but gave a final response. "You know, m'lord, they haven't forgotten us. The attack is still very much on everyone's minds, we won't be off their mind anytime soon. Flint's team is proved this."

He had already sat back down in his throne, looking down at his disciple coolly with his naturally icy eyes. "Then we will engrain ourselves into their minds."


	5. Chapter 3- Old Shinobi

**XXX**

 **A, Former Raikage**

The road to Konoha had long since been reestablished with the unity of the continent. Paved, easy to walk on roads. However, the Raikage's growing age had led him to be forced to ride in a cart to travel to the Leaf Village. The horses pulling it were quiet, as was the hired driver. Only his two guards, both spirited but obviously bored chunin said anything.

"Welcome, Lord Fourth. Please, step in."

And later: "Driver, how much longer?"

"Six hours."

And then: "Lord Raikage, is it true you fought Madara Uchiha in the Fourth War, and almost died?"

"What of it?"

"Well, did you?"

"Yes."

"Could you tell us about-"

"No."

And that was the end of the conversation. Two energetic youth that he silenced, as they should have from the beginning. He had almost started to like them until they brought up that incident.

 _A shinobi is a silent, obedient warrior. They respect and protect their elders, they don't interrogate them about old war._ He grimaced to himself, flexed his massive muscles. _Why is it the young are always to excited and eager to be in or learn of war? Can they not accept the peace that was so costly given to them?_

 _Perhaps the new Hokage can bring to light the better functions of peace._

"Hey, get out of the street! Move it!"

His ears perked to the anomaly, and he looked around his guard to see. A single man stood in the middle of the road. He did not move, though the cart driver continuously called out for him to just get out of the way. Beneath his hood, he could see words being formed quietly. With a swear, the driver finally shifted the horse off to the far right side. The old Raikage looked at the other imperiously.

 _It's just a beggar._ "Spare change, nobleman..." he pleaded quietly, his gray beard falling out from beneath his ragged hood. His eyes were truthful of pain, and his hands cupped around a small can that tinkled with a few coins.

A dug in his cloak and pulled out a few coins, put them in the can. "Tread safely," he grunted, then leaned back into the cart. The beggar nodded, but remained in the street. His can tinkled to the same tune-

The guard sitting across from him clenched the side of the cart. "Trap?"

The other one nodded. "Trap."

The beggar suddenly blew out of existence. _Wind Clone._ "Driver!" A shouted. "Stop the cart!"

Instead, a roaring sound ripped through the environment as carefully laid mines on either side of them erupted. He heard a gargled scream as trio of shuriken struck the driver and sent him onto the cracked stone road.

A and his guards were already out of the cart, and the explosions sent the horses bolting.

"SHOW YOURSELF!" A shouted furiously, graying mustache quivering with unbridled fury. He would be late for Tsunade now, and now they would have to walk or wait for another generous rider. The insult was enough to bring up his temper, which was never far below the surface anyway. "FACE ME, MAN TO MAN!"

"Lord Raikage, please!" said his left guard. "Allow us to deal with this perpetrator, don't agitate yourself-"

The air rustled gently. The guard's voice dimmed down, and he looked curiously around. The other did the same. A quieted himself, felt out with his chakra. _Wind Nature. He made a beggar out of wind style, why? What purpose?_

"Perhaps the rumors are true, the old Raikage _is_ going senile." A swiveled to the sound, but nothing was there. He could feel another person's chakra, but couldn't actually sense them. _He's melded with the air around us?_

"A hopeful robber looking to steal from one of the greatest shinobi ever?" his left guard scoffed. "You have to be joking."

"No no, not a robber," the wind cooed. "Someone with a much greater purpose. Oh how I've waited to fight someone of your prestige!"

His right guard brandished a tanto, a short thin blade. "Yeah? Good luck getting through us."

The wind current picked up within a second and gusted through the arm holding the tanto. Before the guard could even examine the wound with shocked eyes, another gust had tossed him up into the air like a leaf. He seemed to hover for a brief moment, then came crashing down, where he landed with a sickening _crunch._

Horrified, his remaining protector dropped to his knees and threw up on the ground. A sighed angrily, then shrugged off his white cloak. It fell to the ground in a heap, and his dark muscled upper body rippled as he geared himself for combat. _He can manipulate air currents around us and change its power from cutting speed to bodily pushing. And he can mix into the air itself. Best not to exert chakra through Lightning Armor, yet, but need to evaluate._

"Show yourself," he commanded. "Stop hiding in the air."

"Very well." The wind seemed to condense before them, and then all at once a man was there. He was heavy-set, his muscles large but definitely not as immense as his own. His face was unremarkable, save for his paleness. The eyes were pig like and unintelligent; clearly a man with brawn over brains.

And that immeaditaly told him he wasn't working alone. People with strength alone weren't long for this world, he knew. There was always a higher power.

"Why have you attacked us?" he demanded, stepping forward. The other man smiled, did not retreat. "ANSWER ME!" He stamped his foot for emphasis, and the earth yielded to his weight. Beside him, his guard got up shakily, pulled out his own tanto.

The man looked over at the guard. "Run. You have no place in this fight."

The guard shook his head stubbornly, though his whole body shook with fear.

Sighing, the other made a dual hand sign. **"Wind Style: Slashing Airflow Jutsu!"**

With a whoosh, air rushed from his palm to strike the guard at the base of his neck-

And with another whoosh, A had scooped up the Kumogakure youth, lightning chakra amplified all around him to give him his speed. The air current missed them by a full two seconds, and he set down the guard forty feet away from their attacker. The other man blinked, then looked over at them. Even from the distance, A could see the delight in his brutish features.

"Stay here," he grunted. "This won't take long." He teleported back, flashing back into place. The entire incident had only taken eleven seconds.

"You've retained your speed," the other man said admirably. "Good, that will make this interesting."

"Who are you," A snarled, his chakra blazing all around him.

"My name is Todo. I was sent here to kill you, old man." The respect was gone from his voice as soon as he had uttered his name. It was as if he had suddenly placed himself above A.

And he didn't like that. _The nerve of this upstart bandit. Answers can wait, his punishment cannot._

 **"ELBOW BOLT!"**

 **"Absorbtion: Tiger Seal!"**

A moment before impact, the man somehow managed to intercept his elbow, despite him traveling at around 70 miles per hour. His eyes widened and he felt a strange sensation coming through his arm. He was slowing down, and the blue haze around him being sucked into the other man's palm-

The old Raikage detached himself from the others grip, bounding backwards. His Lightning Style Armor shivered around him, then reformed solidly. His teeth bared. "HOW DARE YOU TRY AND SUCK MY CHAKRA OUT, LIKE A COWARD!" he shouted furiously at the other man.

"I know better than to take a hit from your shinobi taijutsu," Todo explained. "So what better way than simply absorbing your techniques? And that was only a small dosage of my absorption technique. Oh, and judging my the laughable amount of fury and confusion on your face, you don't understand how I was even able to properly respond to your technique."

The air shimmered around the other man, and A sensed the presence of more wind natured chakra. "You see, I've actually admired your form of shinobi art; the mixing of lightning style to increase your speed to then strike using devastating taijutsu attacks. So, I've done the same, though with Wind Release."

"Impossible," A retorted adamantly. "You never served in my court, how would you get close enough to observe my technique, let alone replicate with an entirely separate chakra nature?"

The air around Todo rippled tremendously, and a light shade of white surrounded him, very similar to A's blue ones. "You old people doubt our ability to be invent and simply take inspiration. How you're respected as one of the most honorable and sensible shinobi of our time will remain a great mystery to me."

"Your tongue is sharper than your wind nature!" A snarled. "If you're as bold as you are with your words, then show me how bold you are with your actions!"

His attacker's smiling face dropped. His own muscles flexed within his veil of wind armor. "And your tongue has not softened either, former Raikage, even with age. Unlike the rest of the world, you have retained your aggressive side as much as ever." He put his hands together into a single hand seal. "Breaking you, therefore, will be a large triumph for our Cause."

 _'Our Cause?' Then he definitely isn't working alone._ He amplified his Lightning Armor to its highest extend, when his speed would be almost mirrored to that of the former Fourth Hokage. _Could he be linked to the recent attacks in the Land of Fire and the rest of the nations?_

He bared his teeth in familiar anger and frustration. "BRING IT!"

Simultaneously, they both launched at each other, meeting relatively halfway. Their arms clashed along the wrist, and the resulting collision of chakra made the ground crack at impact.

 _He's almost as fast as I was in my youth. Far from my prime, but in my current age..._

By the time he had finished that thought, they had already broken apart from their lock and had collided two more times. It was a battle of speed, who would be fast enough to land a strike first. They dashed all across the road and forest, going quick enough that floating leaves were caught up in the movement storm and were blown about.

 **"HORIZANTAL CHOP!"**

 **"Tornado Blowout!"**

Todo spun around rapidly, his arm catching A's attack perfectly. Snarling, he increased pressure against the other's forearm, but again he couldn't push his strength over the other.

 _My Body Flicker Technique isn't able to match up with his. I've grown old... and he's strong._ Grunting, he broke off from the other. The blue and white statues stood apart, breathing heavily. Todo was smiling again, enjoying the battle. Meanwhile, A was reaching the peak of his strength. His gasps were raspy, and he felt the constant need to sit down and rest.

 _I only have two more techniques I can use against him that could break his speed, but enough chakra for one... DAMN IT!_

"Tired, old man?"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY!"

"I asked if you were at the end of your rope," Todo repeated mockingly. "You're a symbol of an old, failed world. As long as people like you exist, there can never be any real change."

"The Fifth Raikage is already bringing about changes, as are the rest of the new Kages! Your accusations are unfounded!" The man was making him so furious he could barely contain himself.

Todo laughed. "Say what you like to make yourself feel better; it doesn't matter. You're a failure and weak excuse for a former Kage, we should have had stronger leaders in the past rather than you peace loving hypocrits. Only through aggression can anything, including peace, be achieved-"

"MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY!" He was already behind Todo, tired of hearing him speak, and of seeing him walking about altogether. He heard the other's surprised gasp as A's hands grasped him hard by his shoulders.

"DON'T YOU EVER-"

He hoisted up the man by his shoulders, bodily picking up the large man-

"-EVER-"

Todo squirmed frantically in his grasp, his white chakra fuming above A's head-

"-UNDERESTIMATE A RAIKAGE! **LIIIIIIIIIGER BOMB!"**

A sharp pain stabbed him in his right side, and he stumbled forward midway through his attack. However, baring his teeth against the pain, he finished the technique and smashed the shinobi into the ground. Arcs of lightning sprang out of the earth upon impact, as the earth yielded to the chakra pulsing through it. No one had survived the attack since Sasuke Uchiha, nor had anyone survived it before, either.

 _It's over..._

"I won't lie... that actually hurt... quite a lot. **Wind Style: Hurricane Repulsion Jutsu!"**

A gust of air struck A in the chest, not enough to hurt him, but it knocked the breath from his lungs and forced him back a number of feet from the crater had had created. "You..." The pain from earlier rippled through his right side, and he fell to a knee, coughing out blood.

"I struck your side with a wind nature enhanced fist, trying to break your technique." The dust had cleared, and Todo was there, on the ground. He was lying on his side. His entire left side was a bloody mess, and his left arm was snapped into an opposite angle of where it should've been. "You still smashed me into the ground on my left side... had I not hit you, who knows how much worse the damage might've been."

"You..."

"I've had enough playtime, former Lord Raikage." Todo stood up, and began to buildup chakra, his frame shining and whirling with wind energy. "Even one of your notorious unblockable moves couldn't defeat me, just like no one else of our broken past can stop the rest of us."

 _I don't have enough chakra... but I have to find away to fit in my second attack. The future of the shinobi world could be at risk here. Darui, B, everyone... allow my sacrifice to be a worthy one._


	6. Chapter 4- Generations

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

He knew Sasuke was there a while before the other had actually entered the doorway. The best friend's apartments were right next to each other, on the top floor of the Three Horsemen Apartment complex. They had each other's keys, and often entered each others rooms without invite, as they knew they were always welcomed.

"Sakura went with Hinata and the children to go see _The Last Samurai._ I thought it would be a good time to talk."

He breathed in the night air. He was out on his balcony, overlooking the rest of the village. The ruined Hokage Monument was filled with movement as crew members swarmed it, trying to repair the disfigured faces. The Seventh observed them all quietly for a couple moments as Sasuke went up to stand next to him.

"You agreed to the press conference tomorrow I hear."

"Yeah... I felt I had to give the people answers at some point."

His unsure tone was evident and Sasuke chuckled. "Answers you don't really have?"

Naruto held out his hand, let the air seep in between his fingers. "I don't know anything about this guy or what he wants. There hasn't been any incoming information on him; in fact, there's been reports of there being a mole in the system. Missing documents and order plans... they're already inside our walls. What more could they want from us if theyre already everywhere?'

"There's also been growing unrest from the smaller nations," Sasuke added casually, looking over at his friend. "The Kage Summit is attracting their desire for representation again. Many are saying Timuujin Square was caused by extreme activists to bring attention to their call for universal democracy."

The Seventh rubbed his temple in frustration. "Everything's happening at once, I can't figure out what to take care of first!"

"They could be connected, the activists and this rogue shinobi. Working together towards a common goal."

"This isn't the threat we've been searching for through the dimensions*, is it?"

"No, he's something else. He hardly compares to whatever's out there, I can't understand why you're so flustered. When he shows himself again, we'll stamp him and his ragtag group of misfits like the little burning match they are."

"The flame from that match can spread quickly, when its environment is set up right," Naruto murmured quietly. "I would say he's been waiting for my rise to Hokage as a form to destabilize us."

Sasuke stood up from the balcony and crossed his arms. "You're investing to much in him."

"I think he's after me personally as well, and that worries me because he could be after Hinata and the kids. Likewise, he could easily target Sakura or Sarada, since you're so connected to me."

The dark eyebrows came together as the Uchiha's lips formed a perpetual frown. "If he comes after them I'll kill him myself, it's simple. I'm just waiting for _you_ to make the move so the people can trust you again as their leader. You're the one who always wanted to be Hokage, and you've done more than enough duties in the past to make up for that. This is just another occasion, why can't you understand that? There's no more Obito's or Madara's or Zetsu's to worry about, it's just some cowardly, pale faced shinobi hiding behind a mask!"

"We all thought Obito was a weak fool when he wore his mask, what if he's even stronger when he takes it off-"

Sasuke stared at him incredulously. "You're being more stupid than you were as a kid, its almost unbelievable."

"You're not the one who's been given the title," Naruto snapped back, also standing up from the balcony. "Before, everyone thought of me as that unexpected hero, the former idiot turned shinobi extraordinaire. Now, they actually _are_ looking up to me, all this pressure and expectation is there all at once, and I've already failed them.

He jabbed a finger at Sasuke's chest. "You think you can talk all proud and confident because you've been out travelling dimensions, not being here when we needed you during Toneri, during the other insurgents! You have no right to say I'm overreacting when it wasn't even your family being caught up in the attack!"

He breathed hard, his eyes staring into Sasuke's angry black ones. But he didn't wilt under the Uchiha's gaze, though he lowered his hand.

"It also looks like being given that title made you forget the one thing you taught me," Sasuke said coolly. "That you don't have to do things alone all the time. Just because you wear some fancy hat doesn't mean you can do everything yourself, but I guess if that's the way you like it, I won't get in the way."

He left the balcony, and then the apartment door slammed shut. Naruto leaned onto the balcony again, brooding. _Calm down, calm down. Don't get so overworked..._

After a while, he went back into the apartment and looked over the details for the conference again. _I'll show him, I'll answer their questions easily. Now, Timuujin Square Damage Report..._

 **XXX**

 **A**

A charged, determined not to allow the other to finish. In an instant, he had teleported to the other and grabbed him by his shoulder and smashed him into the ground. He felt his hands tearing as the wind chakra humming around the other cut into his flesh, but he ignored it.

In a quick slicing maneuver, Todo had slipped from his grasp and had his hand deflect off A's lightning chakra armor.

"You still have some fight in you, old man? Sure you don't need a cane!"

He almost charged again, but instead he calmed himself. _Getting furious isn't helping, I need to keep calm and deal with his attacks, and then break in an opening for my final move. The effort will probably drain what little chakra I have left, but I don't have any choice in the matter. This has to end NOW!_

Again, he teleported forward, and again, the mysterious shinobi was able to anticipate his attack.

 **"LATERAL CHOP!"**

 **"Repulsion Palm!"**

Their arms crossed in midair and the air rippled with the power expended.

"I HAVE YOU NOW!" A grimaced, his other arm straining painfully as he built up his chakra into it. His crossed arm gripped the other tightly, preventing him from moving. His arm started to hum blue-

 _I can't... build the chakra..._

"Fatal mistake, Raikage." Todo's lifted himself, curving his right leg up up and brought down on the elbow joint of the arm holding him, snapping it efficiently. A released the arm in pain and wrenched it away. His condensing chakra faded and he furiously threw a punch that collided with Todo's wind chakra aura. It cut severely but Todo's head snapped back and he fell to a knee, clutching his throat.

 **"Wind Style: Majestic Hurricane Slug!"**

Todo curled his fist and a bright light surrounded it, and from it emitted visible currents as the air was literally sucked into his palm and surrounded it with splicing chakra.

 _Incredible he could do that, even with the damage done by the Liger Bomb._ He grimaced. _It can't be helped. I don't have the strength to kill him, and being hit by that will for sure be the end._

"Why did you come after me?" he said above the rising din of spiraling air.

"My Lord deemed you the perfect target for which to show the traditional lifestyle is a thing of the past," Todo replied. "And I have always wanted to test my mettle against the legendary Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces. Look how pitiful you are now, hmph. You hardly deserve that title now, I daresay."

"And your Lord, what does he want to with the tradional lifestyle we have struggled so hard to build?" A snarled, trying to ignore the slur. He bent down to a knee, seemingly to tired to stand, and Todo's brutish eyes danced with amusement.

"To destroy it, starting with you. Then, the Hokage will fall, and so will the rest of the Great Nations. Your days are done; we cannot rely on a simple war-hero to lead our world. We need a new symbol-"

" _Destroy our way of life?"_ Todo stopped, surprised to hear such strength in the former Raikage's voice. _"You think you and your petty lord know what's best for the rest of the world? HOW DARE YOU STAND THERE AND THREATEN WHAT OUR ANCESTORS FOUGHT AND SPILLED THEIR BLOOD FOR!"_

"A failed society," Todo said uneasily but with confident eyes. He curled his fist and held it before him. "I strike the first blow of a new era- yes, get up! You want to die facing me, don't you? Isn't that what every great warrior wants?"

A spat blood from his mouth onto the ground. "You and your lord threaten the world we have built for the next generation. You want to destroy before you have even witnessed what Naruto can achieve. You claim justice, but all you really seek is a war to undermine what we have built, and I cannot allow that... THIS IS OVER!"

Todo had time to blink before he registered what was happening, and he swung his fist in front of him in an uppercut.

 **"LAAAAARIAT!"**

 **XXX**

 **A's Guard**

The lone Kumogakure guard stood trembling, hands over his head. _How did I get myself in such a sticky situation? Oh man, oh man, I just_ had _to get selected to guard the old Raikage, and he just_ had _to get attacked! Could this really get any worse?_

He shook his head, clenched his fists. _No, I have to be strong. He's a war hero, and a former Kage! I have to help him somehow! It's just... how?_

In a bright blue and white flash, the forest seemed to explode. The poor guard was knocked off his feet as the chakra of the two powerful shinobi collided and pressed against each other in a fight for dominance. Trees close to the epicenter were uprooted, and the ground shattered and grew black and scarred. The air became hot and musky and sparks of lightning shot out into the sky.

Sitting on his rear, the guard didn't bother to get up; he put his face in his hands. _I guess things really can get worse._

 **XXX**

 **A**

A's arms hung uselessly at his sides. The Lariat had struck Todo's Slug dead on and the collision had been almost more than his lightning chakra armor could handle. It still flickered around him, but only just. Breathing heavily, he crumpled to his knees and doubled over.

 _That didn't come at low cost, all the bones in this arm have been shattered, and in my other I can't move it beyond my elbow. I've reached my limit... but so has he._

Lying on his back three feet away, Todo's left arm hung off by a couple strands of flesh. The chakra had backlashed onto him terribly, and now that arm hung on by only shards of bone and tattered ligaments. The Lariat had failed to hit him in the chest, where it would have crushed his internal organs, but A could hardly complain. The fight, at any rate, was over.

"That's... what you would like to think... wouldn't you?"

A looked up, mustache almost drooping with paralyzed surprise. Todo groaned, then got to his feet. He took a few plodding steps forward. A watched, stunned, as he forced his completely broken arm, the one bent backwards, to stretch out towards A's head and grip his forehead.

 **"Absorbtion: Elephant Seal."**

His palm stretched around A's forehead, and the former Raikage kneeled there helplessly as his remaing chakra was sucked out of him in a painful quantity. The Lightning Armor flickered, grew pale, then died completely.

"It's rare I have to use this level of absorption, but I suppose... you're not leaving me much of a choice." The arm was healing, ligaments regrowing and connecting, fresh red skin filling with startling speed.

 _My chakra... he's absorbing it to heal himself... agh..._

"You... bastard..."

"Call me what you like," Todo said weakly, his breathing still labored. "You've hit your limit, that last attack used your remaining chakra, and now I've sucked the rest of it out. You are going to die, old man, a sad pitiful death all alone. How does that make you feel?"

A could barely speak, the exhaustion of battle was overwhelming. He could feel his body fighting to stay alive, but not a sliver of chakra or energy remained in his entire system. Meanwhile, shiny new muscle was stretched over the originally obliterated flesh on Todo's shoulder. The skin, however, was not forming correctly; it started as a thing sheet, then stopped.

The enemy shinobi frowned. "You didn't even have enough chakra to heal me properly. Looks like I'll need to actually wait to heal... how bothersome. But, this little farce is over." Todo stood up, wincing as his wounded arm shifted. He did a series of hand-signs, then stretched his good hand to the sky. With a final smirk, he looked down at the dying Kage.

"Die knowing your death is doing good for the rest of the world... Godspeed."

Flash. Gone. _Some sort of teleportation ninjutsu... faster than my own..._

Groaning, A keeled over onto his back. The sky burned blue, but pitch black was creeping in from the edges of his eyes. _These men... want to do harm to the world, and I couldn't stop even one of them. Maybe I am just that weak now..."_

His mind flickered to a memory of his father, his brain dredging it up on its own. " _A, my son, when I am gone, you will become the next Kage. You will inherit this village and all it's people, and you must nurture the next generation of shinobi who will then inherit it from you in turn."_

 _"Yes, father. I will work hard to preserve our village against the others. We will become the strongest, stronger than it even was with you!"_

 _The older Kage chuckled. "Perhaps, my boy, perhaps. You and Bee certainly are strong, but you must take heed to what I said last."_

 _"Nurture the next generation?"_

 _"Yes, for just as I have done everything to train and bring you into the world ready for hardship, you must do the same. You must protect the next generation until they are able to take care of themselves, do you understand that?"_

 _"I think so, my lord."_

 _"Good, because without a next generation, it does not matter what you do here; it will be forgotten and tarnished. The young people of our world_ are _the future, and they in turn will build a future for the next generation. Do what you can to protect them... until they are ready to protect themselves..."_

The memory faded, as did the mental image in his mind. The dying blue sky came back- as did the face of his lone guard, sweating and dark skin paling. "My lord, hang on! I'm bandaging your wounds, and I've sent a summoning to Konohagakure for help! Just please, fight for life!"

 _Naruto, Darui, Gaara, all the rest... even those shinobi who are lesser than that of a Kage. Perhaps now... you are ready to protect yourselves. Now, I can only hope... this is the case..._

He felt a pressure in his side as his lone guard bandaged his wounds, and he suddenly felt a lot lighter in the head. "I can't..."

"Yes, you can! Don't give up now, when you are soon to be needed so much! You may be getting old, but we still need you, Lord Raikage!"

A pondered that. "Per...haps..."

He slipped into welcoming unconsciousness.

 **XXX**

*Dimensions- If you've read the new manga Gaiden or seen Boruto: The Movie, Sasuke is using a special space-time ninjutsu to find a "new threat."


	7. Chapter 5- Leadership

**Thanks to those who've favorited and followed so far, tells me some people are enjoying the way the story goes. If you got a comment on how I write or just got something cool, feel free to leave them, because I do read them!**

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The first press conference of the Seventh Hokage was a tumultuous one. The broken body of the Raikage had been found by a merchant, as well as his two bodyguards. Alarmed by an actual Kage having been attacked and defeated had once again awoken the primal fear of invasion by the people of Konohagakure. A threat level like this had been absent for six years, ever since the failed Moon Plot by Toneri Otsustsuki. Then, it had been Naruto Uzumaki who had ended the threat. Now, they looked to him again to do the same.

Shikamaru, still not on speaking terms with his leader, simply gave him a cool, "Good luck" behind the stage. Naruto looked at his back, wondering if there was anything he should say, but not knowing what to even reply with.

Hinata was much more welcoming. She planted a small kiss on his cheek. "Just answer their questions the best you can, Naruto," she said into his ear. "The crowd is just upset over your absence, but they'll be welcoming to whatever solution you can give them."

He nodded glumly. The truth was, though he had been back in office for three days, he has yet to draw up even the sketches of a plan to counter Skeleton's actions. It was quite clear only his group would dare launch an attack on a Kage; no other organization had made such a stand in a long time. _How do you counter something you know nothing about?_

Maybe she knew he was unsure of himself, maybe she thought it was just nerves. She gave him a hug then left with Boruto and Himiwari to the top box, where Sakura, Sasuke, and Sarada would be waiting for them.

The stage had been constructed recently, a massive podium room that could seat up ten thousand people. Often it was used for entertainment purposes, but he could think of nowhere else to earn back the attention and confidence in his skills that he needed. Finally, he heard Shikamaru announcing the start of the conference.

"People of Konohagakure and visitors from beyond, the Seventh Hokage." Applause.

 _Time to shine._ He sighed, then entered the stage. The bright spotlights almost blinded him, and he could only just make out so silhouettes of the crowd. Gathering himself up, he lumbered over to the podium. The spotlights eased up, and finally, blinking, he got a look at his audience.

 _Full house._ "Yes, uh, good afternoon everyone," he opened lamely. He looked down at his note cards. "I am aware there have been several concerning incidents recently. The Second Konoha Crush, the Timiijun Market Square Incident, and now the attack on the former Raikage. These actions… uh…" He looked down at his note cards again. They were scripted in political jargon he could be barely understand. Sighing, he tossed them off the podium and to the ground.

Off to the side, Shikamaru put his face in his hands.

"These actions are representative of what the First Hokage once told me during the Great Shinobi War." Naruto placed both his stands on the podium, scanned the room briefly. All the faces were either amused, startled, or impressed by his disregard for his notes. "He told me, 'No matter what the era, there is always conflict.' And he's not wrong. Peace can never be a solid thing unless everyone in the world agrees on a single idea. And we all know that can never be the case."

"However, that does not mean we can give up. What would the sacrifices of our ancestors be then, and the sacrifices of those who died in the war?" There were murmurs of consent in the crowd, some nods. His honesty was reaching them, just as he had hoped. "No, we must persevere. What is the fundamental code of the shinobi way? "A shinobi is one who endures.' We have endured much in the past century; four wars, several insurrections, and countless lone wolfs. People who seek violence or hold personal agendas. Their work tests us each time. I suppose what I am trying to tell you is that the man we have come to call Skeleton and his benefactors is just another test for us, to push our boundaries. But just like all the others, we will overcome him and his empty threats. He believes wounding older shinobi and playing keep away with guerilla tactics will wear us down." He paused. "Will they?"

The answer was instantaneous. " _NO!"_

He nodded his approval. "Then we must stand strong together, and show him we are not dispirited groups falling to his actions, but rather we are a strong coalition of five shinobi countries willing to stand against him!"

The crowd responded to his conclusion with thunderous applause that lasted a full minute. He exhaled, having practically held his breath the whole duration of his own speech. His shoulders sagged with relief. _For now, we have stability again._ He looked to the side, and saw Shikamaru twirling his finger.

"Oh, right, questions!" he called above the applause, and some laughed. The claps were dying out, but he noticed something amongst the crowd. The majority were applauding still, but several were not. And the similarity between them all was that they wore minor shinobi country headbands and uniforms, while the rest were those of the Five Great Nations.

Several hands went up. Choosing randomly, he chose a Kirigakure kunoichi. "Yes?"

"Yes, Lord Hokage. Will the Kage Summit still proceed as planned, even with this threat looming?"

"Of course," he replied. "We will not forestall politics for a manic terrorist. If he dares show his face at the Summit, then he only speeds up his own defeat."

Chattering among the assembly, more hands. He chose a Konohagakure one next.

"Lord Hokage, what is your plan to handle the Kurostochi Trade Agreement?"

 _The what?_ He glanced at Shikamaru, who had his face in his hands again. "Uh… it will carry on according to the current plan?" He prayed his unsureness wasn't to evident.

Apparently it wasn't. The man nodded his agreement, while chattering enveloped the crowd again.

"Next…"

 **XXX**

 **S**

"Next?"

No, they all understood. Not one dared show they weren't paying attention, not after the example he had made of one of the guards in the first few days of the organization. They were all obedient soldiers to the Cause, were either faithful to him or afraid of him.

Most of his men were outcasts of society, unstable and just looking for a man to guide them. Others were from the smaller villages, frustrated with the silence offered by them in global affairs. They also sought guidance, a leader who could actually take action and lead them to a real feature.

And he was that leader.

"Today is the day," he exhaled softly. "Today is the day the tyranny of our conformed society ends. No more of the Greater Nations getting more powerful while they trample the smaller ones. Equality shall reign supreme after today. Do we all agree?"

The silence was agreement. His presence quelled happiness and eagerness in them. They simply followed his commands, and that was how it was meant to be. No dissonance, no regret. They went into battle in the name of the Cause and himself, and that was all that mattered.

"Squad 1, go now." He nodded to Konan, and she gave him a warm smile in return. His stomach knotted; she was truly beautiful. But in a moment he had crushed the feeling, and he merely nodded in return. Konan grew her white wings and flew off through the hole above them, while her men followed her out. They would await the right moment to strike at their given location, with Source M feeding them information.

 _Do you see me now, my old friend? We were just fools back then, with false dreams for peace._ This, _this… this is how it must be done. Danzo was not so wrong, after all._

"Squad 2, you know your orders. You will all remain here and await Phase 3. There is the plan, and you all will follow it to the letter."

"Of course, Lord S."

"God be with you, my Lord."

"Praise to to the Leader."

He turned to Todo, who's arm was still in a sling from his encounter with the former Raikage. He straightened up from a slouch, puffed out his chest. "We will await your command, my Lord."

"I know you will," he whispered back. " See to it that the rest will, as well. We know how jumpy new recruits are."

"If any dare break your given law, I will kill them myself."

The violence was palpable in Todo's voice. He placed a hand on the other's shoulder. "Do well to remember, my disciple, the teaching's I have given you. Do not spoil the transformation of our world for personal vendetta. I would hate to punish you when we are so close to victory."

"Four weeks," Todo snarled, dropping his calm facade. "That is longer than what the original plan agreed upon. You expect these men and myself to hide in this hole while the rest go out and bring down the world?"

He tightened his grip on the other's shoulder, reminding him who he was talking to. Todo's eyes widened as his own bored into the others. "Perhaps you need another lesson?"

"N-no, my Lord."

He closed his right eye. "Fear is the only way to teach another man something. But like any other lesson, it must be rehearsed until the message is clear."

"N-no-"

" **Kotoamatsukami."**

 _You will better the shinobi world, Todo. By serving me, and me alone. Power is what drives this world, and you will have it and your violence. But only if you serve me, do you understand…?_

"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 _Only I can have the answer, for only I have seen what misery the world has to offer. We have allowed others to try and bring peace and equality, and they have failed. Only I have the power to finally do this. Your violence and strength is needed, but not until_ I _deem it needed, do you understand...?_

"YESYESIDOPLEASEEEEEEAGHHHHHHH!"

 _Why do you lie to me? To preserve yourself when you yourself don't have the answers we need? Give yourself to me, heed what I say, and then the lesson can stop, do you UNDERSTAND...?_

Todo's mind was resistant and stubborn, but after a few seconds he had cracked the repulsive forces of his mind again and inserted his thoughts into him. All the remaining men watched as Todo stood up, shivering and trembling from head to toe. He could see his chakra bubbling and fizzing inside him; the distortion caused by the genjutsu was powerful, and it would leave another lasting impression on his disciple.

He bowed his head to him. "Godspeed, Lord S."

He smiled thinly back at him. "Four weeks, my disciple. Then, you will have a chance to teach others fear as well."

He took off through the hole above them as well, leaving Todo and the hundred or so men of Squad 2 behind to hibernate themselves under the camouflage of the meteorite crater on top of the damaged Hokage Monument, created by Toneri's attack when the moon had crumbled. Here, Todo and his men would wait for four weeks for the final phase of the plan, when Konohagakure was a psychological wreck.

They would then turn it into a physical one.


	8. Chapter 6- During Nightfall

**Review Response:**

 **anwar22: Could be, could be not. Only more chapters will tell.**

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

When the press conference was over and the attendants had left, Naruto kissed goodbye to Hinata and his children, gave a hug to his friends, and left alone for the Leaf Hospital, where the Fourth Raikage was under critical care.

The Seventh approached his bedside, and the older man opened his eyes from his drug-induced sleep. "What an honor," he grunted, though his tone was welcoming. "I already told your authorities what I know, I'm afraid there's nothing else I can tell you, other than I will make sure the Land of Lightning enters in on this… threat."

"I wanted to hear any advice you would have for me," Naruto said slowly.

A looked at him hard. "You're afraid."

"Yes. I need to hear what you have to say on this."

"Why not ask Kakashi Hatake?"

He sighed, clutched at his chest uncomfortably. "You've fought them, you know what they're capable of. Lord Sixth could advise me… but it wouldn't be the same. You've seen their power in combat; I can see that you're shaken up as well. Ordinary terrorists wouldn't dare attack another Kage, current _or_ former. I don't… know how to go about this."

A looked down at his hands, which seemed crisped and blackened from his fight. "The one who fought me was powerful, and he worked for another; the Skeleton that has spread fear through the Hidden Leaf. They… aren't ordinary men you are right. How to deal with them I don't truly have an answer for."

Naruto's shoulders sagged. "Then I have to act alone in this after all. No map my predecessors left behind for me to follow, on my first job as Hokage."

A chuckled. "You think any of the first Kage's had a plan? That even _I_ did? No, us leaders of the shinobi must create our _own_ plans, Lord Seventh. Our policies are our own, we handle things differently. How you handle Skeleton is your own plan."

"But I don't even know where to start to counter him-"

The other's hand clutched his shoulder, and Naruto looked down into the battle-hardened face of the older Raikage. "You must must understand your enemy before you confront him," he said gruffly. "You're afraid because you don't understand what you're up against; identify yourself with him, and then you will know what to do."

The door opened, and a nurse peered her head in. "I'm sorry, Lord Seventh, but visiting hours have to close. The Raikage needs to be put under for his surgery."

"Of course." The Seventh hesitated, unsure of how to bid farewell to the older man.

A grasped his hand and shook it firmly. "You will do good things, Naruto, I believe in you. Now, go save the world again."

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

Shikamaru was waiting for him outside his office. The Sun had retreated and the Moon had taken its place, leaving the building flooded with cool white light. Nightfall had come suddenly, but their words seemed to have somehow been planned beforehand, for the both started talking at once.

"Naruto, I-"

"No, I need-"

They both stopped, and then laughed simultaneously. "You haven't changed at all, you knuckleheaded kid," Shikamaru said affably. "But… I need to apologize for how I've acted. Had it been me in your place, being beaten around like that, not knowing if my family was safe or not… I might've been out of things longer."

Naruto smiled, then hugged his friend, much to his surprise. "There's nothing to apologize for, Shikamaru. We all can't have boundless patience."

They broke apart, and the Nara Clan advisor stood up straighter. "I was waiting for you to return to say that we received a diplomatic envoy from Takigakure. They want to have an audience with you to discuss possible voicing in the upcoming Kage Summit."

Naruto sighed, dropped his voice. "Shikamaru, there's something I have to tell you now. I'm leaving the village to go to Mount Myoboku."

Pause. "What the devil are you going there for, when we need you here? You've just woken up and you're already leaving-?"

"Keep your voice down, please." Naruto drew in closer, put his arm around the other. He brought his voice down even lower, to a whisper. "Someone knew the Raikage was coming, when we were the only ones in the room to know. If there's a recording device, then it'll find out I'm leaving to, and then who knows what?"

Shikamaru struggled briefly, then accepted Naruto's superior strength and stopped. "Why are you leaving for the Toad Dimension?" he hissed. "We need you here!"

"You're not whispering! Look, I think Skeleton is a Sage."

Another double take. "What?"

"When I fought him at the ceremony, I saw something behind the mask, his eyes. He had the colored pigments, but they were brown. I don't know what that means, since Ryuuchi Cave was the only other place with knowledge of Sage Mode, and their pigments are purple. I'm hoping Fukasaku or the Great Toad Sage can give me clues to what's going on."

Shikamaru laughed quietly. "How did I know something like this was going to happen?"

"Shikamaru, I'm sorry, I don't know how-"

"No no, don't worry. You see, I thought something like this would be coming from you. Sakura volunteered to take your place as representative. For added security, Sasuke is going to travel with her, as are a number of other Leaf shinobi. They'll be leaving tomorrow morning, you don't have to worry about it."

Naruto bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry you have such expectations of me, Shikamaru. When this over, you can have as long as a vacation as this lasts."

"No, I like working here, y'know. It's just when your idiocracy makes me stressed is when I get moody." Shikamaru slapped the other on the back in a brotherly fashion, and they both stepped out onto the balcony, overlooking the village. "Makes you want the older days back, doesn't it?"

"You have no idea. I always liked be _sent_ on these missions, not leading them- wait, who's there?"

He turned around, looked back into the building. _I'm certain those were footsteps._ "Come on out, friend or enemy you need to reveal yourself."

Mirai Sarutobi and Konohamaru Sarutobi, as well as Konohamaru's former teammates Udon and Moegi. As one, they all blushed and jumped back as Naruto's face peered down the hall at them.

"Told you he'd hear us," Moegi muttered.

"How long have you been listening?" Naruto questioned them.

"Since you came in, Konohamaru said brightly. "We followed you in, wanting to see what you were up to. You've found your first clue to Skeleton, then?"

"That's right. Now, you four, do me a favor and investigate every nook and cranny of the Hokage Building; we have reason to believe it's bugged. If you find anything, tell Shikamaru, okay?"

Mirari gave a mock salute. " _Anything_ for you, Lord Hokage." She sauntered off, casually looking at the walls, ceiling, not really paying attention.

"Some people have faith in you always, like us," Konohamaru said apologetically. "Mirai wants to see results first. You just gotta bring them, Naruto."

"And I will. Help Shikamaru watch the village, and make sure things stay calm, alright?"

"Right. Good luck."

Naruto turned back to Shikamaru as the others began to investigate the building. The other was smiling thinly but proudly. "You don't even have to try, you're a natural leader. That's something I can never be, I'm too aloof."

The Seventh shook his head, gesturing for the other to follow him into the actual office. They did so, and Shikamaru sat back in one of the cushioned chairs. "I doubted you at first, when we were genin. I thought you were some idiot would die first mission. You quickly proved all of us wrong. Now the whole nation is against you, thinking you're powerless to stop this guy." He crossed his arms, looked at the others back as he rummaged through his wardrobe. "We need you to prove us wrong again, Naruto."

He pulled out his ceremonial outfit; the same one his father had worn many years ago. The white collared jacket with red flames in the bottom seemed to suit him perfectly.

Shikamaru sighed. "I have faith in you, Naruto, like Konohamaru. You just have to prove to us that it's been rightly placed."

Naruto slipped his arms through the sleeves. "Don't ever doubt me, Shikamaru. I treasure the Village above everything, even my own life. Skeleton won't put me down forever; going to Mount Myoboku is the only place I can think of to begin at. We know nothing about him or his motives… maybe Fukusaku can tell us something vital after all, and then we'll be another step closer to stopping him."

He finished dressing, turned around. For a moment, it looked as if the Fourth had materialized right before him, from one of the great stories he had heard about him when he was a child. Then he realized this was his friend, the Seventh Hokage, and he smiled again. "I don't doubt you."

"That's all I ask. I'll see you in a few days."

"Right. Good luck to you, Lord Seventh."

"Good luck to you, Lord Seventh's Advisor."

"Oh, just get out of here."

 **XXX**

 **S**

Leaving behind Squad 2, he began his simple journey to the Standing Stones, where the transition to other world would be much simpler.

It was time to tie up loose ends. Todo and Konan had been given their duties; he had taught them all needed to know, and now they were putting the Plan into motion. He could go and do his own agenda now in content; the Konoha Black Ops had been joined by Kumogakure according to Source M, and they had already rounded up all of the teams in the other villages, minus Flint's and two more in Sunagakure and Kusagakure. But the losses were irrelevant; the Hidden Leaf was the only worthy target in all this, the most prosperous and legendary symbol of power in the continent. If the near death of the Raikage was knocking a pillar out of the tower of tradition, Konohagakure would send the whole thing falling.

The highways were bustling with traders and families with their oxen and mules, and he blended in easily without his mask. No one would give him a second look, no one would recognize his face. The only one's who would know his face were long dead, he had learned. It had been easy to dismiss the failed past, the dream he had left behind with his "death." The world had tried and tried again to work in the way he had hoped, and now he knew that old idealism was empty promise.

First the Third Hokage, then Itachi Uchiha, and then finally Naruto Uzumaki. The trail of failure was long and had been costly. Who knew how many lives he might have saved had he thought of putting the Plan into motion months, even years, early. No Fourth Shinobi War, no minor bickering among the nations. A unified front that could have challenged Obito, Madara, and Toneri and crushed them before the damage could be done. Now damage was unavoidable in his plan, but the results would be much more beneficial than anything the Seventh Hokage could manage.

Just thinking oh him made him grind his teeth. How much had been invested in him, how much trust? All these people could not be allowed to place more faith in him, or it would only lead to a deep bitterness in the world.

But that absolute _disgust_ for the man...

 _Be calm. There is no sense in getting angry about it. I can only forge on and make the change on my own._

He continued to walk along, and gradually the travelers began to thin out as he took less travelled roads. The stone plates became more unkept, crumbled, older. The main roads between the Great Nations had remained in their prime over the years, but the lesser nations had been forced to try and tend their own roads with what meager amounts of money they could scrounge up.

And speaking of money that could be scrounged up...

"Give us your belongings, wanderer, and you won't be harmed."

Four bandits, all shinobi. A fifth, probably their leader. stood off in the nearest tree to swoop in should things get ugly. Their headbands were a mix of Kirigakure and Yugakure, somewhat neighboring countries. It was no secret The Land of Water, despite being one of the larger nations, was still in recovery from years of economic strife, so he allowed them a chance to turn back. He threw them some fifty ryo, all he truthfully had. "There, have your money. Now allow me to be on my way."

"Fifty? You kidding me, wha' sort of trav'lar only carries fifty ryo? Give us the rest!"

"Don't be greedy, I gave you what I had. Final warning, carry on and find someone else to prey upon."

"Slit, let's just take it and leave," he heard one say, a youngish man whom he could already tell was a newer, less brutal member to the group. The other two were shaking their heads already, showing that this wasn't the first time the younger member had tried for peace.

The one he had been speaking to rasped a laugh. "Just stay back, Rukitari, we'll just kill him and see what else he's got in his pockets!"

They lunged, and his eyes swiveled across all of them, already activated, taking in speed, strength, agility, height off the ground, and intended target. He breathed in easily, allowed himself a moment to strategize.

For the first, his left arm came up and caught the other by the flat of the kunai, and brought it up into the other's neck. He then twisted the body around and tossed it at the next fastest. The body struck him and made him wheeze with the force. He teleported behind him in a flash, making his hand go flat. The momentum of the second carried him down, and then he brought his hand up and ripped into his back, severing the spine and killing him as well.

The third, the one who had rejected a peaceful solution, had only taken four steps before all this had occurred. He hesitated, his mind only beginning to process the downfall of his companions, when he had teleported right next to him. In an instant, he had gripped him by the forearm, wrenched it upward, then spun it upon himself. All the bones immediately cracked as he corkscrewed it a dozen times. The man gave a whimper that would have quickly turned into a scream, if that same arm had not slashed into his windpipe and killed him.

He saw the leader in the trees take all this in, and allowed him to run off. All that remained was the young, new recruit.

"Take the money, then leave. Your compassion has saved you this once."

Terrified, the youth gave his eyes one last apprehensive look, then scooped up perhaps half the coins and took off running away. Satisfied with the results and knowing the boy would never turn to crime again, he deactivated his eyes and concluded the journey to the Standing Stones, the legendary preaching place of the Sage of Six Paths, where it was said he had first instructed his children in the ways of ninjutsu. It was a place of great historical power, and even if this legend was false, then the one he knew to be true was all he really needed.

And if that had been the beginning of that world, then it had been the beginning of his own. It was there he had arrived at his darkest hour, struggling to find sense in the world that had wronged him.

Quietly, he stepped into the center. They were nine tall rocks, stretching into the sky. In the middle, a smooth flat stone sat innocently in the middle of it all. When the night reached its zenith, the moon would be directly overhead it and then he would perform the jutsu.

All he had to do was wait. And he could do that.

He had waited a decade to kill Naruto Uzumaki. He could wait until nightfall.


	9. Chapter 7- Snowfall

**XXX**

 **Saki, Konohagakure**

The Kurai Niku Diner, meaning Dark Meat Diner, had always been a hotspot for more illicit dealings in Konohagakure, quickly becoming the most popular the meeting place of gang leaders or black market crooks. So it was no surprise when two of the chefs and the restaurant's electrician were found dead outside the back alley two days after the Timuujin Square Incident. Still, the diner's owner was frantic for the next day, because he knew the leader of the Konoha's Red Dawn gang was very fond of his fish, and now he was missing the two seafood chefs.

So it was to his great relief when a trio of Takigakure-nin walked into the restaurant asking for employment. Coincidentally, two were chefs, while the last had had a history with electricity! The owner thought nothing of it; within five days, the trio had proven themselves so capable that he was able to leave it to them to close up the diner efficiently.

Business came and went through the bar, and the three kept to themselves quietly, doing their jobs to the best they could, and quickly the shady mobsters grew to like them and their obedient fashion. "You see," they would tell one of their underlings. _"_ _That_ is how you should be working! To think some lousy chefs and an electrician could be as loyal as a dog!"

Quietly, things went on, until the diner owner, whom all the mobsters simply called "Saki" because of the excellence of his personally brewed alcohol, noticed that the fuse box had been tampered with. So, before closing on the eighth night, he asked his freshly hired electrician about it.

"I'm sorry, sir. I thought there had been an issue with lighting and the heat generator. I was simply testing some controls within the box, please think nothing of it."

"I am aware, but you _do_ know that we are connected directly to the Southern Power Grid? I don't want there to be incident and then have the police all over my ass because you were fiddling with shit!"

"Please, sir, have trust I am only trying to do what's best for the diner. There will be no more investigation into the fusebox, however, unless the need arises."

Saki gave a stern nod of acceptance, then walked out. However, he could have sworn that the moment he closed the door behind him, he heard the _click clack_ of the fusebox door coming off its hinges. But his trust in his hired workers overwhelmed suspicion, and he carried on his way home to his female company, whistling peacefully.

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Lost Redoubt Mountain Pass**

The caravan walked through the mountain pass easily, but cautiously. It was a large procession, a three genin teams and a quadsome of four jonin. Sakura road in the covered wagon with Sasuke, and Sarada was sleeping in between them. This was one of the few opportunities she would have to see an outside nation for some time, so they had taken advantage to show her, especially during a time of peace. Sakura had her eyes down on her, watching her lovingly while her daughter's head nuzzled in her lap. Sasuke held her hand, gazing fondly at them both.

It was Sasuke who first thought something was amiss. His eyes grew from warm to alert, and he looked out the back of wagon, but nothing was there. He considered using the Rinnegan for deeper investigation, but if it was bandits, there wouldn't even be need for the Sharingan.

 _Something… somethings in the air…_

Sakura noticed the tension in his hand despite his almost casual shift in personality. "What is it?" she whispered, so as to not wake Sarada. "Is there something wrong?"

He didn't answer immediately, be after a few moments he decided it was nothing. _Why am I so tense? There's nothing to be afraid of._ "It's nothing, might've been a wild animal is all."

She nodded, relaxed. There was nothing to be afraid of if Sasuke wasn't concerned, and being with him made her feel more secure than anybody else, with the possible exception of Naruto or Kakashi.

"Are you nervous at all?" Sasuke asked her warmly. "It _is_ your first mission as a diplomat. Let's hope some of the Fifth's policies have worn off on you."

"Oh haha, very funny, almost looks as if some of Naruto's humor has worn off on you, too."

He gave a mock repulsed expression. "Have I really been around him for that long?"

She laughed, but her hand squeezed Sasuke's. "I am nervous about this though. Takigakure has been the most demanding nation in the Universal Voice Movement, and in most of the Greater Nations, their shinobi have been the most numerous in demonstrations, next to Kusagakure. I just hope we can reach a peaceful agreement so that they'll stop."

"You can do it," he said smoothly, and she felt some of her anxiety lift with the confidence in his voice. "Just be the strong woman I love up there, and everything else will fall into place, I promise."

 **XXX**

 **Caravan Squad 2**

On the outside, one of the genin saw something flicker in the sky, but she thought nothing of it. _Just a bird,_ she thought, and then her teammate had pushed her from behind and she turned on him angrily. "I told you to cut it out, Jais!"

"Oh, sorry," he giggled idiotically. She snorted, then stormed off ahead of the group.

A pale white object floated down in front of her. She looked up into the sky, but there was no bird that could've dropped a feather. She stooped down, picked it up in her hands. She blinked. _Paper? Where did you come from?_

"Hey, what'd you find Pigtails?"

"Sensei, make him stop!" she complained. Her sensei, a young, enthusiastic, but very distracted man, whirled on the other two. "Quiet, you two! Respect your teammate… uh yeah. What did you find, Mai?"

She held it out to him. He held it in his fingertips, eyeing it with confusion. "The hell? Just a scrap of paper? Ah, just a strange thing you find out here in the mountains I guess." He tossed it dispassionately off to the side.

Almost immediately, another landed on his head. The two genin giggled as his hand ran through his stark black hair, pulling it out.

Mai was credited with finding out the disturbance. "Look!" she yelled, pointing up at the sky. Everyone in the caravan heard her, and they all looked up.

"Well I'll be damned, is it snowing?"

"No, what… what is it all?"

"Hey, maybe it's your diary, hahaha!"

It didn't take long for Sasuke to sense the real disturbance. _Something in the air… something… something bad._ "Malandus!" he shouted, no longer caring if he woke up Sarada. "What's going on!"

"It's just… paper falling from the sky," came the bemused reply of the guard captain. "It's physical as well, we can pick it up and there's nothing suspicious about it… this is so bizarre…"

Sakura looked at him, alarmed. "Paper, falling from the sky? And it's not a genjutsu, or they wouldn't actually be able to feel it. What's going on out there?"

He had already taken off his traveller's cloak, leaving him in his light purple combat shirt from the older days. "Stay here," he said quietly.

"Dad…?"

"Shhhh, don't worry," Sakura told her daughter. "Dad's just got to… run some errands."

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

He ran ahead of the cart, which had stopped. _What... what the hell is this?_

What had started out as an innocent rainfall of paper was quickly turning into a storm. The paper was coming down in extraordinary numbers, making the landscape a white blur of moving objects. The frightened voices of the genin and the reassuring calls of their sensei added to the disorder. The mules pulling the carts were beginning to lose their earlier calmness, jolting and snorting in confusion and white flakes landed all over and around them.

"Malandus!"

"Lord Sasuke, what do we do? I've never seen anything like this, and it's just getting thicker and thicker!"

Sasuke activated the Sharingan, and the answer was immediate. _They're all chakra infused; it's a kekkai genkai or hiden jutsu of some sort._ "Everyone, gather around the wagon!" he shouted. "Use your chakra to sense me out!"

They straggled in, the torrent getting stronger. He spat out a few bits of paper, closed his eyes to avoid any scratches in them. _This much paper, it's almost as if a sea is coming to attack us!_ I _can't see anything; even with my Sharingan! The chakra emitting from each strand is making it impossible to detect any individual signature._

"Now what?!" came the frightened cry of one of the genin.

"Malandus, follow my example. You genin leaders, use Water Style to douse everyone and the cart!"

"What are you-"

The paper was making it so that he couldn't see two feet in front of him. The blurred snitches of faces he could see were all looking at him, relying on him.

"Just trust me!" He turned away from them, and put his hand into the hand seal.

 **"** **Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"**

The genin screamed as the white mass around them suddenly turned into a hot orange sun, but the pain they all thought would hit them never arrived. They found themselves to be incredibly wet, and then the comforting arms of their sensei wound around them, pushing them down to the earth. "Just stay down!" they all shouted.

Inside the wagon, Sarada looked around with wide eyes, her premature Sharingan glazed. "All the paper… it's made out of chakra! I can see it all, so much of it! And... "

 **"** **Fire Style: Flame Bullets!"**

The rest of Malandus' squad joined in the already massive billowing flame emitting from Sasuke, and slowly the white storm began to subside as the flames swallowed it all up. Sasuke concentrated his chakra into a focused burst, and suddenly the paper vanished in a massive fireball that swallowed them all up in heat, but left no burning due to the rinsing of water done by the genin leaders.

The paper had thinned out to a few stragglers now, and Sasuke blinked, his eye adjusting to the lack of white again. One of Malandus' men spat out some bits of paper, while another one nursed a long bleeding cut ripping through his shoulder.

 _It looks like we stopped it right when it was getting violent. Thank God… I don't know if I could have stopped it if it had gotten that aggressive._ He straightened up, both Sharingan flaring as he finally detected the presence of the other powerful chakra.

There were perhaps twenty of them, all of them wearing different outfits of different villages, but all of them had their right shoulder sleeve ripped off. On that shoulder was tattooed a large white circle with a red star placed in the middle.

Very much like the symbol A had described on the arm of his attacker.

And he could see why even a Kage had been beaten. The chakra coming off her was pure and large.

"This party is now under our control," she called out to them. "I do not want conflict; if you submit, we can avoid bloodshed. But if you fight, we will have no choice."

"I don't really like to negotiate with people who try to kill us first," Sasuke countered easily. At his side, he slowly withdrew his Sword of Kusangi and pointed its tip at her. "Perhaps you should be the ones rethinking this?"

The amber eyes closed. "I was told you would be stubborn in listening. I have also been told you're even more stubborn in conceding defeat." She held her hands before her, and as he watched, wing formed on her back, made of paper. She rose to the air, and he craned his neck, squinting his eyes as she rose before the sun. "I do not want to break you."

He smiled at her invitingly. "Then please, come and try."


	10. Chapter 8- The Sages

**XXX**

 **"** **Summoning Jutsu: Reverse!"**

The grassy plains he had decided would be a good place to rest vanished in a whirl, and the sickening feel of returning to Mount Myoboku made his stomach flip flop like a pancake. However, when he had landed, he was immeaditely greeted by his old friends.

"Naruto!" Gamakichi said in surprised, sitting idly by a lake. "The hell are you doing here, buddy?"

The Seventh stared up at his massive bulk. If anything, the originally miniscule toad from the Konoha Forest had grown to be the equivalent of the Chief himself. Indeed, the Chief himself sat in the pond itself, and their size was almost mirrored.

"Well, if it isn't my little henchman," the Chief Toad said warmly. "Been awhile since we've heard from you! Don't tell me you're returning only for idle chit-chat, that would be so boring!"

Naruto gave him a wide grin. "It's great to see all of you again, but no I'm not here for talking. I need to speak to Geezer Sage."

At this, both of the other massive toads grew solemn. Immediately, Naruto, knew what was happening, but he asked nevertheless. "What's wrong?"

"He's… ill."

"Ill?"

Gamatatsu sighed. "He's going to die. His body is too old and frail to combat the disease. We cannot help him."

"I have healing ninjutsu-"

Gamatatsu shook his large head. "Do not try, Naruto. Speak to him if you must, but allow him to pass on. He has lived long, and sometimes not everyone is meant to be saved."

He opened his mouth to argue, but he decided against it. "Where is he?"

Gamakichi pointed north, towards the place where the Great Sage Toad resided. "He is resting in a building near the temple, you'll find him there."

 **XXX**

 **S**

 **"** **Summoning Jutsu: Reverse!"**

In a flash, the Standing Stones of old had been sucked away into the vortex, and he allowed himself to be swept up. A moment passed as the world twisted away, moving from the world to the other dimension. After a few moments, he landed upright in front of the familiar maw of the cave. Nothing had changed since he'd left, but he could sense in the shadows inhabitants who were already shying away or fleeing. He had come a powerful man already, but when he had left, the power was radiant.

The Ryuchi Cave, a dark and dreary place, had shrunk away at that radiance.

His footsteps echoed into the cave easily. He had decided to put the mask on again, thought the Great Snake Sage had already seen him without his mask, and would sense who he was instantly. How many pupils had he had, over the years? Only two successful ones, and the other was currently wasting those skills in an orphanage of some sort. Further he went in, and he saw the enormous form of one of the serpents approaching him. "Why have you come?" it hissed angrily. "You- what do you do here, be gone from this place, human!"

"I have come to give the White Snake Sage a parting gift," he answered calmly. "Move."

The serpent obviously didn't like his tone, and didn't seem to know who he was. It foolishly lunged, jaws gaping and fangs dripping, intent on swallowing him

Sighing behind the mask, he activated Sage Mode. His palm got the bottom lip of the snake, moving him back perhaps a foot from the momentum of the beast, but nevertheless stopping it in its tracks. With a grunt, he heaved the snake over his shoulder entirely, and it landed with a surprised hiss, recoiling instantly. "You- what are you, what is it you do here?"

He had already moved on, leaving the great serpent behind, and it did not move to attack again but rather stared, more than likely too shaken by the encounter to continue.

The other place had been much more welcoming to him, but this enviroment didn't bother him now.

The cave hissed its protest, but he walked on unchallenged.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The Temple of the Great Toad Sage was a towering, ancient structure of unknown age. Inside rested the oldest toad in Mount Myoboku, weathered by age and as fragile as the dusty glass panes that ringed the tower.

Fukusaku was a miniscule toad, but powerful one. It was he who had taught Jiraiya Sage Mode, and in turn Naruto to confront Pain. The old toad had been killed, then resurrected when Nagato returned everyone back to life. Naruto had not been back to the Temple, or even the Land, since his training, nor had he summoned any toads since Gamakichi had been summoned in the Fourth War. Now, as the news of Fukusaku's creeping death approached, the Seventh wished more and more he had done more to stay in contact with the Toads.

Gamakichi and The Chief showed the way, stomping in resolute silence. Naruto followed closely behind in equal silence; though they all knew he knew the way to the Temple, it was a sign of respect for the Fukusaku. Somehow, in the back of his mind, Naruto knew this was the last time his Toad master would be talking to anyone.

The tower, once a place of warmth, now embodied the sickly smell of death as they drew near. Both of the enormous toads split apart, offering the massive doorway inside to him.

"He's in the right wing," Gamakichi said gruffly. "We'll wait outside."

Naruto nodded, then took off his sandals, knowing he was treading on holy ground. The temple was divided into four sections, with the middle being the shrine, the left and right wings housing ancient relics and manuscripts, while the main section housed the somewhat senile Great Toad Sage himself. Naruto treaded quietly into the massive hall, which towered hundreds of yards above his head to accommodate the larger toads, then proceeded right. The smell, dark and foreboding, grew stronger, and from within he could hear someone snuffling.

"Granny Sage? Is that you?"

The crying stopped, replaced by a mixed tone, one bearing despair and surprise. "Naruto-boy, is that you?"

"It is... can I come in?"

"Why have you come back?"

Saying that he needed to extract information from Fukusaku sounded cold and unbecoming, so instead he said, "I had hoped to talk with Geezer Sage over some tea and catch up, but the Chief told me..." His voice choked with real emotion, and that seemed to win her over.

"Oh come in boy, come in!" The wailing started again as Naruto opened the door, giving him an unwelcoming scene. On a straw bed, lying in a sickly grey skin tone was Fukusaku, fast asleep. A great orange bulge was on his chest, unnatural and shiny; no doubt the heart of whatever illness afflicted him. Shima, his wife, was on a stool on the other side of him, sobbing aloud, head in her flippers. She seemed to not have aged much at all, while the wrinkles on Fukusaku seemed much more pronounced.

Naruto sat down on a spare stool next to the bed, unsure of what to say. These two small toads had been revered as the Great Toad Sages, had taught his own master, Jiraiya, had taught himself. They were to him the most powerful users of Sage Mode, and the skills they had taught him amounted that their knowledge was indeed great.

 _Seeing them like this... Fukusaku dying, Shima reduced to tears... its oddly humbling._

"Granny Sage..."

"Yes, boy?"

"Could... could you wake Geezer Sage for me? I'd like to talk to him."

"He needs to rest!" she said instantly, shrilly. "Can't you see how weak he is, he needs his rest, he cannot even talk. The medicines I've been giving him barely keep his heart pumping, the meditation he does-"

The bed stirred. "Well, if you keep shouting like that, Ma, I won't sleep much at all," Fukusaku grumbled tiredly. His eyes creaked open, then focused on the concerned blonde before him. They were sunken, red, and blurry. "Now, Ma, let the two of us talk, student to teacher."

"I'll go make some tea," she said tearfully, no doubt worried about him talking. Nevertheless, she went."

The door shut behind her, leaving them alone. "Now... what is it you wanted to talk about, Naruto-boy? Or should I say, Seventh Hokage?" He gave a croaking laugh at his surprised expression. "Yes, even if you don't come to see us, toads all around still come and go in the village."

His guilt for not having visited sooner flourished as he ran a hand through his close-cut hair. "Well... I've been busy with other matters in the village... and I just..."

"It's not an attack, Naruto-boy," the sage said quietly. "I'm extending my congratulations... you've become a better shinobi than either Minato or Jiraiya-boy. Your skill, your bravery, your loyalty to those around you... it has only increased since your encounter with Pain-"

"I'm sorry that I didn't come earlier," the Seventh broke in. "That I've come, only when you're... when you're about to..."

Fukusaku waved one of his sickly flippers. "Death doesn't frighten me, it's only the next step in becoming one with nature energy. Moving on in an unstoppable cycle... it does not faze me, my boy. Now, tell me what it is you've come for."

 **XXX**

 **S**

Undisturbed, he entered the deepest reaches of the cave. Behind him, a multitude of enormous snakes followed him, young and old. If history served him correctly, only two others had come before him in several generations, that of Orochimaru and Kabuto. And of those two, only Kabuto had actually succeeded in mastering the Serpent Sage Mode. His return, however, a full fledged student coming back, had _never_ occurred. So they followed him from the shadows, while he allowed Sage Mode to activate and filter his nose so he could guide himself through the darkness, until he reached the Mouth.

The rough, natural walls of the cave gave way to a massive maw of a serpent, which must have been constructed by human sacrifices made by earlier barbaric nomads of the dimension. The jaws were shut as a primitive door, and the hisses behind him grew in number as he approached it. Behind it was the chamber of the White Snake Sage, who by now was definitely aware to presence and wondering if he would be able to open it.

He sat down cross legged before the Mouth. The Snake Sage had opened it for him on his first visit, because the only way to open the jaws was to filter natural energy into the jaws, which would cause the jaws to yield to the wielders command. It was similar to Sage Art: Inorganic Reanimation, but of a much higher caliber. This time, instead of forcing command being put onto the rock, the rock would obey his greater will.

 _Crack._ A loose tooth, rotting away in the mouth, fell away and landed on the floor. Then, the lower jaw detached itself, going down, sinking into the earth, which in turn gave way to the jaw. His control was excellent; in moments, the previously immovable jaw of the serpent had sunk down for him to walk through it. Behind him, the serpents grew agitated, with the majority turning around and going back into the tunnels. However, a handful of others, including the one he had wrestled with, slithered slowly after him.

Atop his throne, the White Snake Sage flicked its tongue at him. It was massive, perhaps the biggest snake alive now that Manda was long dead. Gold rims lined its scaly snow body, while its head remained adorned with a black turban that had a red orb housed in the middle. As he approached, its nostrils flared.

"You return, O Second Student of the Overworld. This is something... I did not expect." It's body coiled in on itself, as if it actually did have an idea.

Perhaps it did. He was a Great Sage, after all Legends had supposed that along with the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, the two had been direct pupils of the fabled Sage of Six Paths, learning the ways of the Sage from him. The snake was a beast of great power, however diminished it might have appeared now. "I have come to see if you had anymore to teach me," he answered truthfully. "I have learned much in the Overworld since I spent the three years under your teaching. Now, I have returned to see if there is any more to learn here before I return."

The eyes of his teacher looked at him suspiciously. "Is that all you have returned for?"

"No, but I would wish for you to answer my question first."

 _Hisssss._ "Like I would teach anything more to a traitor!" The White Snake Sage drew itself up proudly, towering many stories above his head. "I easily smell the scent of those toads on you; the very smell of them makes me retch! You have gone to their land, haven't you? I do not smell their blood on you, so I know you did not go their to kill!"

"I went there for my own purposes, but I never held any loyalty to the Cave. I did not expect the Final Bond from you, I am free to do as I like."

"You hateful sssstudent, how dare you return here with thosssse smells on you!" The serpent's speech had begun to slur with its fury. Its body was slithering all over the throne, writhing, slapping against the stone. "Tell me, you have returned to kill me for them?!"

He shook his head. _Even these great beasts are not immune to human emotions. Paranoia, fury. No wonder it has grown so withered and decrepit. No wonder they slither about in the darkness, never daring to see the light._

"I have not come from them. I come, as I told you when I first left, of my own will. I have sincerely come to learn any final secrets of the Serpent Sage Mode from you."

"Before, yes, I do kill you."

The entire white mass of the White Snake Sage stopped, and its nostrils flared once more. Its head slowly lowered itself before him. "Isss that right? You plan to kill your teacher, who hassss taught you ssso much?"

"There was never any bond of teacher and student between us," he dismissed easily, waving his hand as if to banish such thoughts from the room. "It was only ever a decrepit snake finding purpose and a young man finding power. Now, you have fulfilled that purpose, and I have fulfilled finding power."

In the maw of the entryway, the watching snake's eyes glittered. He could sense their shaking bodies, unsure of whether to intervene. Not that they would prove problematic, but he reminded himself to keep them in check.

"You vile sssstudent," the White Snake Sage hissed menacingly. "That look in your eye, the sssssmell upon you... your intentionsssss are true. I ssssensed your intent the moment you entered my domain... ssssssuch treachery!"

Not immediately responding, he adopted an offensive combat position, holding both arms away from his body with palms facing the roiling white mass. "There can only be treachery if you remain alive," he answered smartly. "But that is now impossible, for now the student has surpassed the master-"

He did not have time to finish the sentence, instead only managing to reenter Sage Mode as the enormous bulk of the White Snake Sage suddenly came flying towards him. The speed of the creature was remarkable for its age and size, but nevertheless within seconds its whole body had left the throne and was filling up the floor of the room.

Gracefully, he jumped the scaly body and landed on the shiny surface. Taking a deep breath, he slammed his palm down onto the flesh.

The White Snake Sage hissed in pain and surprise as a sudden pressure built up inside of it. "That's right," S said warmly. "I can take in enough nature energy to pour some into you- more than you can handle." Indeed, the scales directly beneath him seemed to be greying, growing much more solid-

 **"Ssssage Art: Twilight Pillar!"**

Pure blackness sprung up in front of him, quickly encircling him and darkening his vision as something cold brushed along his face. His hand went to his face, and found that he couldn't feel any skin. And the air around him, it was growing heavier, as if the darkness surrounding him had grown solid and now preyed down on him. He clasped his palms clumsily together, then backflipped in the direction he knew the White Snake Sage was not at.

 **"Sage Art: Piercing Illumination!"**

The darkness faded as suddenly as it had come. In his hands, he felt something warm growing, and he spread his palms apart. A white ball of bright light was spreading out. The Great White Sage, who had been about to smack him out of the air with its body, recoiled with an angry hiss. "Thissss technique... from the Toadssss!" Its tail shrunk away, but its entire body encircle him, as if he had suddenly entered a whirlpool of scales.

 _Aim for its head._ The hovering ball of light shrunk in between his palms, until it was the size of an apple. Its heat did not affect him, though all the superheated material that had originally been lancing out of it was now condensed into this small sphere.

"DIE, SSSTUDENT!" From the rapidly swirling mass, purple spats of liquid shot out; a poison of some sort concocted naturally, no doubt. It came from multiple directions, and he realized the speed of which the body was moving that the head was simply going around him multiple times.

He tossed the white sphere up into the air, where it hovered uncertainly for the time being. **Sage Art: Earth Style Terra Shield!"** The ground yielded to his command, and it shot up all around him, shielding him from the acidic like material. It burned sufficiently through despite the improvement of natural energy being put into the nature transformation, giving him a glimpse as to what was going on outside. The whirlpool was slowing down...

 _If he can't come from the sides, then he will come from-_

The ground ruptured at his feet again, this time not from him but the White Snake Sage, destroying both his shield and most of the floor. Its jaws came up to snatch him out of the air-

The white ball he had created came back down to his waiting palm. Turning in the air, he made to bring it down onto the white beast's forehead-

A whirling on his side made him widen his eyes in alarm, then he settled back into a collected state. _Of course: not just from below, but from above as well. He was waiting for me to take my orb out of the sky, so he could bring his tail around and smash me with it. Now I have to deal with both ends._ He smiled to himself. _For an elderly beast, it sure can move fast when it wants. Must be due to the increased stamina from Sage Mode._

He put his palms together again, and this time the ball split in half. Now he possessed to glowing orbs, each the size of a golfball, centered in his palms. The head and tail came together, and he smashed both his hands into both. The resulting explosion tore apart the chamber, making the snakes from the doorway cower and hiss.

Screeching, the White Snake Sage's body sailed across the room and struck the rough cave wall with a booming _crack_ , sending cracks and rivets up along the wall. Its head and tail tip, once a uniform milky color, now sported blackened edges and reddish spots of flesh, the heat of his attack either having burned or straight disintegrated the scales there.

Shaking its head, it pulled itself up to its full height while he adopted the same attack position as before. "Your sssskill has improved," the Sage said begrudgingly. "But thissss farccce is pointlessssss! A Sage's worth is decided by-"

"'Their dedication to the Final Bond.' Yes, so goes the story. However, I have accepted neither from either Ryuchi or Myoboku. Yet, I have surpassed any warrior from both lands. There is nothing you have that can defeat me-"

" _YOU DARE INSSSSSULT ME!"_ The body lunged toward him, head seeking to smash into him. He drew his hand straight up in an open palm, catching the side of the beast's head. Its head shot away from him, smashing back onto its own body and sending it collapsing in confusion. " _H-HOW-?!"_

 **"Frog Kumite,"** he said with a cool breath. The White Snake Sage was now looking at him fearfully, though its fury was obvious. It stared at his face- or, rather the empty black eyes that the skeletal burial mask offered- in suspense. "As I said, there is nothing you can do to meet my power. I have achieved maximum strength from _both_ lands; now I will soon control both, as well as the Overworld."

"Issss that your plan?" his former teacher leered mockingly. "Such a foolish, short-sighted goal. No human could ever hope the wasteland of the Overworld or the foolish Toads, let alone the Ryuchi Cave-"

"Do not doubt me," he interrupted harshly, his tone settling on tinted anger, "Until you have seen me try. However, in your case..."

He put his hands together in a series of hand seals, numbering twenty-two. The White Snake Sage's eyes widened as this time a black orb formed at the tips of his fingers. Its surface bubbled and glowed various faint colors, before it suddenly solidified into a jello-like substance in a perfect black shape. Then an orange ring started to form, starting as a thin, nearly invisible line. The on looking snakes sniffed the air hesitantly, then turned and agreed with each other.

" _Fire."_

The black orb was being encircled by a ring of orange flame, like the ring of a planet.

Stunned, the White Snake Sage lowered its head, evaluating the miniature planet forming in front of his hand. "Thisssss… thissss issss _forbidden_."

"Things that are forbidden are made so only because others fear it," he replied easily. "In desperation, however, these others can view something they once feared as something hopeful. This jutsu is such an example."

 _"HOW DID YOU COME ACROSSSSS IT?"_ The White Snake Sage spat, its very body quivering in fear. " _IT WASSSS SSSSEALED AWAY UPON ITSSSS CREATION, WITH ONLY THE MOST TRUSSSSTWORTHY GUARDIANSSSS-"_

"The details are unimportant," he said unconcernedly, waving off the loud hissing filling up the room. "The guardians were killed long ago, I only had to search the ruins for it." He lowered his voice to a grating whisper that nevertheless was heard by all. "It is the most powerful ninjutsu of its time; with my added fire nature chakra, it is the strongest of _this_ time as well."

Perhaps the White Snake Sage believed him and sought to die with honor, or maybe it believed he was bluffing about it. Whatever the reason, it did not answer but instead lunged, its body uncoiling once more as it thrust its entire weight at him. The jaws opened, fangs shining with the purple liquor of its poison.

 **"Sage Art: Fire Style Rasenringu!"**

The impact of the beasts head striking the ring was, to say the least, catatonic. The earth itself around them was disintegrating, leaving them in a somewhat deep crater. The snakes had backed away from the Mouth to avoid the shockwave, and now peered back in to see the results of the final clash.

The White Snake Sage, once revered as one of the legendary pupil of the Sage of Six Paths, was dead. Its head was some feet away from the rest of its body; the entire muzzle was a charred, blackish color. The only sign of original color was that of its eyes, now a pale, foggy green. The rest of its monstrous body was twitching upon the cold stone floor, where live spouts of fire covered the neck region.

Slowly, S stood up. The impact had knocked him to his knees, and the arm that had created the Rasenringu now had shredded and blackened sleeves. However, nothing, not even the fragile-looking mask, was damaged. Slowly, he turned to face the onlookers.

"Will you join him, or join me?"

The majority slithered over, leaving only three behind at the Mouth. He leered over to them, his voice soft. "Some would still oppose, even with their Leader dead?"

"We will never serve a human, an outsider!" the center one, a young viper, hissed furiously. "Killing our Leader is not the way of tradition, one as revered as the White Snake Sage! You will command no loyalty from us!" With that, they slithered into the depths, much to his indifference.

"Do not mind Aoda, Great Human Sage," one snake hissed next to him, and he recognized it as the one that had initially opposed him. "We will serve you dutifully, and with pride."

"What is your name?"

"Surda, my Lord."

"You have chosen wisely, Surda, as have these others. When the Overworld is conquered, you will be well rewarded with sacrifices."

"Thank you, Lord."

Briskly, he began to walk to the Mouth. "Now, come Surda. You will prove useful in this next advent in this grand Plan of mine."

The rest hung back as Surda followed. "Advent, Lord?"

"Yes, one more stop before I return to the Overworld. Another land that must be subjugated."

"Yes, the taste of toad will be strong in your mouth, I'm sure."


	11. Chapter 9- Shadow Heroes

**XXX**

 **Team Flint**

On Sunday night, when the leading mob bosses had drunk themselves into stupor and their vagrants gone off to play their games of shogi and poker, the two cooks quietly shut down the grill and went to the elctric storehouse, where the electrician Flint was stationed. Quietly, so as to not disturb their equally drunken boss, they began to systematically peel off plating off the floor.

"Did you find the wiring?" Romaji asked quietly.

"Yes, it's directly below us. I need a judgment of the size of the power access tunnel before I progress, however. If it's to small, we'll need to improvise." He turned to Dent, who had paused in working to peer out the storehouse door to watch for anyone approaching. "Are they going to be coming tonight?"

"Yes, I've spoken to him, he was very eager to hear of it."

Flint's lip curled. "Of course, looking for any reason to make a show that they know what they're doing. Very well, how much time do you believe we have."

"I called an hour ago, and they are always slow to respond. We have perhaps twenty more minutes."

With a grunt, both Romaji and Flint managed to peel off a large section of floor plating, and with an echoing _scrape_ it came free.

 _Like a chair-_

"What the devil was that?"

Dent gave a hiss of displeasure, turned towards the other. "It's Saki."

He met the dark eyes of his leader. "Stall him," Flint ordered quietly. "If you must, do what is necessary to preserve the mission. We cannot risk being discovered now."

Without another word, Dent exited the room, almost running into the owner of the Diner. With sleepy red eyes, the other looked over his shoulder suspiciously. "What the 'ell was that noise?"

"Electrician Flint needed help with couplings, but my hands were full of plates. I dropped one on the ground and it made the clattering. Our apologies for disturbing."

The owner turned to the silent kitchen. "And 'te other friend, 'te cook?"

"He's helping clean up."

"Let me see."

Dent quietly stood in front of the crack of the doorway. "There is wiring all over the area, sir, it would be unsafe for you to walk inside in your… current state. You might get electrocuted-"

To run the most illegal diner in the Land of Fire could not be done by an idiot. Saki was no fool, not by a long shot. Even drunk, he was observing the sweat coming of his brow. "I thought choo' said my electrician was only messing with powa' couplings. What's all tis wiring I'm 'erin 'bout now?"

The cook easily slipped his hand into his back pocket. "It slipped my mind. Please, sir, it's nothing to worry about. I think Boss Cormac is waking up-"

"It's my bloody restaurant, and I'll look at what I like," Saki injected brutally, shouldering Dent out of the way. "Now, what is- _what THE F-?"_

The front section of the diner, which had displayed clan glass itemized by pictures of enticing women suddenly shattered as pairs of Leaf shinobi broke through the six windows. The mob bosses and their consorts shambled themselves into a mess in the confusion, to drunk to properly escape, to surprised to get so much as a yell of surprise.

"KONOHA POLICE FORCE, EVERYONE FREEZE OR YOU WILL BE PUT DOWN!"

Saki froze, his hand on the door frame. "How did they get tipped off we was all 'ere?" he whispered to himself, sounding like a frightened puppy. "No one 'ould've told 'em…"

The entire diner diner was flooded with green-jacketed jonin and chunin, all wearing the shining headband of the Hidden Leaf Village, but with one or two stars on top of the symbol, displaying their authority. Many of the bosses were cuffed immediately, their faces so notorious that the officials didn't even need to check their bingo books. Their lackeys, with the loss of their leadership, surrendered just as easily.

The door opened, and Flint and Romaji exited, pushing the stunned Saki out of the way as they looked upon the commotion forming at the table nearest the kitchen. The leader of the Red Dawn had stood up alongside his bodyguards. The scarred faced man was an ex-commander in the Third Great Shinobi War, and had suppressed half of an entire enenmy division all by himself. He was suppressing three officials easily, even in his drunken state. "Get yar bleedin' hands off me!" he shouted venomously, spitting in the face of one. "Don't think you can hold back Ajax of the Red Dawn, veteran of o' hundred battles-"

A glass bottle shattered on his head, and he went down without a sound. His guard folded in on themselves as they stared at their crumpled leader in the arms of the police, and soon they, too, had been apprehended.

The perpetrator was a man wearing a trench coat, bearing even more serious scars than Ajax. His headband boated four stars, labeling as the Chief ot the Police Force, a man grizzled with age but still emitting strong chakr. On his left, two ANBU agents stood silently, making sure the rest of the bosses were coming quietly. On his right, Flint recognized the man as the one Dent had called.

"Thanks for that step in, Ibiki," Shikamaru Nara said gratefully. "Getting rid of the toughest of them will make the rest of those thinking of fleeing stop such thoughts."

"It's the biggest bust in our history," the one wearing the trench coat muttered gravely, though he distantly sounded pleased. "None are escaping, one way or another." He looked over at the four of them staring, and gestured towards the two ANBU. "Take them."

"Mr. Nara," Dent said, putting on a perfect in-awe voice. "It's me, the caller. Please, may we talk?"

Saki stared at him in shock, then swiveled his eyes to look at Flint and Romaji as well. "Caller…? _You_ were the ones who called the blasted police?!"

Flint shrugged. "Just doing business- with a more legal side."

" _I'LL KILL ALL THREE OF YOU!"_ Saki roared, the leaped for his throat-

The two ANBU were swift, and one had quickly diverted the attack, while the other brought the hilt of his katana on the owner's head. In a moment, it was over and they were carting off the sobbing Saki out the front door, along with the dozens of other criminals and rogues into the night.

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

Shikamaru waited until they were gone, then brightly approached them. "You were the ones who tipped us off, then?"

His informant nodded. "That is correct."

"Well, you three have done us quite the service, Shikamaru said happily. "This'll make headlines for sure. You are from Konohagakure?"

"Of course." The tingling of their headbands, though he could not see them, reassured him it was true.

His smile widened. "Doing your patriotic duty, excellent for the story. We don't even have to fudge that bit for the headlines-" the one on the left eye twitched at this, but the excited Hokage's advisor didn't think anything of it- "and everyone can have something to smile about. Now, how about your names so you can be mentioned for your duty?"

The eye twitcher stepped forward, and Shikamaru's eyes flickered to him, recognizing him as the one who really held the authority of the group. "We would like our names to omitted from the paper, actually," he said humbly. "You can simply put 'three loyal citizens' in instead."

The other mulled this over. "I like it, but why don't you want to be mentioned?"

"We are not crowd pleasers, Advisor Shikamaru. We only are doing our duty."

The seriousness of his tone told Shikamaru he didn't want any further discussion, which oddly made him feel unsettled, but he shrugged it off. "Sure, of course. Well then, I suggest you all find another place to work at, because we'll be tearing this building to the ground soon enough-"

"Actually, we'd like to talk to you about that."

"Oh?"

"Yes; _we_ would like to run this building as our own restaurant. I feel that is sufficient for handing over 72 of the continent's most dangerous criminals and their leaders?"

Shikamaru's eyebrows raised. "So much for just doing your patriotic duty, then? You just wanted the restaurant for yourselves so you could run it the way you like?"

The other's eyes lit up as if what he had said was absolutely delightful to his ears. "Absolutely. Please, we do not have intentions to turn this into another dark establishment like Saki's; it will be an honest business. We simply ask that we keep the building, and if you're feeling generous, allow the paperwork to be processed swiftly.

One by one, he looked at them. They seemed genuine enough, and they _had_ just helped apprehend multiple dangerous criminals. But there was just a slimy feeling about them, something he did not like. Perhaps it was their sincerity, or the way the one whose eye had twitched had lit up just now.

Regardless, it wasn't solid proof to distrust them. "Hand in the documents for ownership of the building in the morning and I'll have it processed by night."

Their leader extended his hand, and after a moment Shikamaru grasped and shook it. "A pleasure doing business with you, Advisor Shikamaru."

"A pleasure."

 **XXX**

In a few days, most people would find themselves curiously drawn to the welcoming light of the "Outlaw Man," the newly named diner that had formerly been known as the darkest corner in civilization. The shops on either side of slowly came to life during the time of change in the section of the village. No one could believe that 72 well known criminals and their notorious henchmen had been apprehended in a single night. Patriotism was high as the villagers congratulated each other on one of their own having finally stood up to the crime existing in their midst.

"'Three loyal citizens,' indeed," would be the names exclaimed all around the town. Some claimed to be these loyal citizens, but some ANBU on break who had been present, unable to resist the hype, broke their code of silence and denounced them jovially.

Konohagakure had not been as happy until the Seventh Hokage Coronation, but even the twisted end to the celebration was becoming dismissed from their minds. Pride in their strength, loyalty to each other, and the integrity was paramount.

Two instances broke the tidal wave of patriotism. The first occurred two days after the arrests, Shikamaru Nara announced to the people that Naruto Uzumaki was on leave, investigating personally into the now international criminal the media had dubbed "Skeleton."

"Our Hokage has come to the conclusion that the various ANBU teams, even with assistance from Kumogakure, will not be enough to discover the location of the terrorist. Thus, the Seventh has gone out searching for him himself, using his own unique skills to hopefully track him down and bring him to justice. I will be running administrative details until he returns. Thank you for your time, and long live Konohagakure and the Land of Fire."

The listeners stirred angrily for a moment. "He's left us, again?"

"Who will protect the village?"

"Can we trust Nara again to hold us together?"

But almost instantly, they regrouped into happy conversation, their mood flip flopping like a pancake.

"But with him out there, Skeleton won't dare attack us."

"If anyone can catch that bastard, it's him!"

"The Seventh chose Nara himself, he's a good leader, we'll be fine."

Coincidentally, on the same day as the speech, the Leader of the Red Dawn Gang was apprehended in a prison break, and was subsequently locked up again into an even higher security vault. The act involved four security guards who brought him down and his accomplices, and once more fervor for the strength of the village's shinobi overcame any negative thoughts. The three guards were given a wonderful golden medal which they took with pride. Many shinobi from the visiting nations who had arrived joined in the celebration, and veterans of the Fourth Wars talked amongst themselves that it was just like the unification of the armies.

The protesters of the Summit received all-time low supporters, and amid the celebration the ones from Takigakure and Kusagakure, the nations who were leading the Universal Voice Movement, put down their signs and stopped for the day.

The second incident occurred a week after: a power outage across the entire ninja town during the final night of great reveling and unity. It so happened that at one of the local pubs, where much of the room was drunk, that as the nights flickered out there was rabid confusion and panic. There was thudding of footsteps, crashing of seats and stools, and then finally, a crash of glass and a pitched scream.

A few moments later, the lights of the village flickered back on. The crowd of the club all took steps back, leaving a center of a dead Yukigakure man on the ground while a shinobi of Konohagakure stood over him with his shattered glass. "It was an accident, I couldn't see where I was going, he was just in the way and I turned," the hapless man babbled.

"An accident?" screamed a Kusagakure man furiously. "Who swings their mug hard enough accidentally to kill a man!? I saw you arguing with him over at the shogi table- you intentionally did it!"

"N-no-"

"You think you can kill a man of a lesser nation with the lights off and get away with it? DO YOU?!"

Both were red in the face, obviously drunk off their minds, and perhaps any sober person in the crowd could have seen this and brought calm. But as it were, everyone had finished off the club's supply of alcohol, and there was no reason.

In a spurt of a red, the Konoha-nin with the broken mug went down with a shuriken in his throat. Nobody bothered to figure out who had actually thrown it- the moment his body had hit the bloodstained floor, the entire club dissolved into murderous chaos.

When Konoha Police forces arrived, the bloodbath had consumed the lives of five and held seventeen injured. The people of all nations scattered, and when the media had discovered the massacre, the blackout itself was small news compared to the coverage of the "dismantlement of continental unity."

There was one story that ought to have been covered at the end of the next day, but the media already knew noboy would listen; everybody was looking at the headbands of other nations or signing petitions for the Universal Voice Movement.

The story detailed an electrical worker in the southern quadrant, locking up the massive electrical housing there, putting in a record a few minutes saying he had traced the outage to an anomaly in the new "Outlaw Man" diner and would be speaking to the proprietors there about their electrical usage.

When the powerhouse was opened again next morning, they only found his report; he had never set foot in the building again.

 **XXX**

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	12. Chapter 10- Angel

**XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Lost Redoubt Mountain Pass**

He swept his foot under the blue haired woman, but the distraction of making absolutely sure Sakura and Sarada were safe slowed him down, allowing her paper wings to form as she jumped into the air- letting her again take to the skies. He sent out a ball of flame after her, but she was easily able to sail around the incoming mass. At the same time, as she veered around the fire, she sent another volley of sharpened paper shuriken, which he jumped back again and again to avoid. Gritting his teeth, he knelt down onto a knee, calming himself down.

 _She dodges all my attacks so well with those wings, and then is able to attack while she dodges. Her chakra control is excellent… I can't make an opening like this._ His fists curled. _And there's just something familiar about her, from when I don't know, but she's familiar to me._ He looked around, where the guards and genin squads were locked in combat with their own fights, the similarly black clad men and women that had arrived to stop them. Malandius was busy wrestling one to the ground, while one of the genin captains hassled over a kunai knife with another, trying to yank it from the hands of his own attacker.

Grimacing, he made to help out the squad captain, but his Sharingan soon warned him of another attack from above, and he unsheathed his Sword of Kusangi. Whirling, he knocked all the paper kunai out of the air, then with his other hand drew out one of his own shuriken and lobbed it at the struggling pair. It hit its mark, and the squad captain's opponent fell to te ground, the shuiriken buried in his neck.

"Thanks, Lord Sasuke-"

"Behind you!"

"Wha-?" he hardly had time to turn, as two more men fell upon him, stabbing furiously. The squad captain gave a ghostly gasp, and then his head had struck the earth as blood trailed from his mouth.

Still his attackers stabbed him, a barbaric look in their eye…

The blue-haired woman was swooping down again, this time wielding two spinning whirlwinds of paper. Her cloak dragged against the earth as she flew horizontally at him, throwing first the left one and then the right, giving him no time to stop the brutal overkill.

 **"** **Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"**

Once more, she swooped up to avoid the blast, but her paper discs were swallowed up by the flames. Still, his danger sense didn't fade-

 _They're traveling at too high of speed to be stopped by the fire._ Indeed, the discs suddenly shot out of the fire, now aflame themselves. They had not followed a straight pattern; instead, one was now hovering at shin height while the other traveled for the top of his head.

 _Not enough time to dodge them, especially if they're being directly manipulated by her chakra._

 **"** **Chidori!"** His hand lit up in a light blue haze, and he dragged it across him in a perfectly timed forward slash, catching both discs as they flew towards him. Both split apart and dissolved into individual bits of paper, surrounding him in weightless white flakes once more.

 _She's above!_ He looked up as he jumped forward, narrowly avoiding the rapidly incoming flash blue hair and black body, which slammed into the ground with enough force to bury her up to her midsection. A moment later it exploded terrifically, knocking him off balance. Again he jumped, trying to just get himself away from the ringing in his ears, but his Sharingan were already detecting three more aiming right for him-

 **"** **Shadow Clone Jutsu!"** Four more Sasuke's poofed into existence, two on each side, and they all split up individually. The incoming suicide bombers went after one each, and they each exploded, making three Sasuke's blow out of existence.

The remaining two fell together again, and one cupped its hands and knelt down, while the other put his foot in its hand. _There's another two coming, move quickly!_

He threw himself up into the air, the cupped hands Sasuke adding further support to launch him up at the hovering blue-haired assailant. He flew high up into the air, putting himself into a diving position to reduce air waves from slowing him down. In the middle of making another paper bomb clone, she could not dodge-

One of the incoming bomber clones changed in mid direction and he went past it, now chasing after the one in the air. The other one continued to come to the ground, where its eruption encompassed where the other Sasuke had been.

Watching his approach steadily, the amber-eyed woman undid her clone formation, tried to move out of the way. However, his outstretched hand grazed her cloak, and then gripped her foot. "You're not going anywhere this time!" Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening, and she quickly moved her left wing in front of her as the remaining kamikaze paper clone reached them-

The explosion ripped them apart, and she went sailing to the ground, her smoldering left wing unable to keep balance and the burnt pieces of paper unable to accept new additions to reform the wing. Sasuke also fell to the ground, and they both landed were large _thuds,_ creating miniature craters. However, she almost immediately picked herself, and he saw that she had used her right wing as a cushion, and that it had been stocked with more paper to make it even softer.

"A good try to use my own clone against me," she remarked calmly. "But it's a useless gesture; unlike me, you didn't have any means to soften your fall, and now you can't continue to fight. It's over."

"That's true," he wheezed conversationally. "But you're the real you, unlike me." The crumpled Sasuke poofed out of existence, and this time she took a step back in surprise.

"What is this?"

 **"** **Earth Style: Headhunter Justu!"** A hand wrapped around her foot from the ground, and she saw the filthy but unharmed skin of her opponent. "I threw my last clone up at you instead, while I remained on the ground and hid in the earth as your clone detonated. It's _you_ who's been outmatched: **Chidori Scream!"** A current of lightning ran up from his hand through her, electrocuting her as he disassembled his Chidori into smaller tendrils of lightning. She groaned and fell to her knees, but he felt the danger and let go of her, just as the paper kunai in her hands slashed for his own.

He drew himself out of the earth, dirty but relatively unharmed as she stood up, still smoky from the electricity. Her amber eyes focused on his red ones, still somewhat calm but now more wary and alert. "I should have known you would pull an unorthodox trick like that," she analyzed aloud, shivering. "You are, after all, the partner to the Seventh Hokage. You were bound to learn some of his tricks with shadow clones sooner or later."

"Sounds to me you're just making excuses," he replied smartly. However, his smile turned grim. "Now, tell me what you're doing here, why are you attacking us?"

She held her arms apart from her body, now smiling instead. "But who said I was done?" She dissolved into individual bits of paper, much to his shock. They floated away, staying somewhat close together but drifting away nonetheless. **"** **Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"** However, while some bits of paper were hit and caught aflame, the rest nevertheless coagulated far above him, out of reach once more. _How is she able to divide her body like that? Is she even human, or some paper monster?_

While she was still reforming, he gave the area a wide look. Malandus and his remaining two men had been backed against the walls of the ravine by perhaps six attackers, while the genin squads were also buckling under the weight of another twenty. _How did so many come together, all these rogue ninja? I've never seen anything in this number from just one village-_

"We are many, Sasuke Uchiha," said the soft voice from above him. He snarled, brushing sweaty hair from his eyes. She was looking down at him with those amber eyes, calculative and wary. "The entire shinobi world is in arms against the Five Great Nations, though you may not know it."

"The hell are you talking about?!"

"For too long the smaller nations have lived in the shadow of you towering countries; the five Kages control the continent, as do their daimyos, with the rest of the continent forced to obey them. Every time one small nation has risen up, the iron hand of the Five has pushed them down into the mud."

His lip curled. "The Five Nations have been very merciful and generous to the smaller nations, they were not forced to participate in the Fourth War-"

"And neither were they asked." Her voice had gone chilly, and he felt a broadcast of zeal to a cause he knew nothing about. _She's working for someone… could it be the man behind the bombing of Konohagakure?_ "You were content to keep us in the dark while our very survival was held in the balance. Why? Because you all would be able to justify your claims to power over us, where you had saved us all when we did nothing. It's cowardly, with your intention only to drive us apart for your benefit to keep control."

Sasuke kept silent. While he doubted the truth behind the Five using victory in the war as leverage over the other nations, the woman- _just where is she from?_ \- was right in that the smaller nations had not been asked to help fight in the war. The Five and the Land of Iron had gone in alone, while the other half of the continent had indeed been left in the dark. From that standpoint, the conclusion she, or whoever had "educated" her, had made could very well be valid.

But he had walked the continent for years in his self-induced exile, for the hate and crimes that had been created under him. From the Land of Water to the Land of Ice, from the rice paddies of the former Otogakure to the rocky wastes of Iwagakure, from the Kannabi Bridge to the Valley of the End. Everywhere the people had been joyous, happy to be alive in the world, living through whatever hardships they were presented with. They had indirectly taught him what it was to be apart of the world once more, the world Itachi had taken from him but returned through Naruto. The relief camps established by the Five in the smaller nations after the war, the Kusagakure doctors who tirelessly worked to save the lives of those from Kumogakure, the rations distributed by Konohagakure and Kumogakure shinobi to a starving boy from Hoshigakure.

"How wrong you are," he replied angrily, his knuckles white as he clenched the hilt of the Sword of Kusangi. He hefted it, pointing the tip at her chest. "The Five did not take from the smaller nations; they gave back, and the smaller ones worked with them. After the war, differences were put aside, into a stable continent without the threat of violence. It's _you_ shinobi who are cowardly and wrong,, bombing the Hokage ceremony!"

"If we were so wrong, then why have hundreds joined our cause?"

 _Hundreds…?_ "The Five can only give so much before they must address themselves," he replied, still disturbed by her claim. "And as you said, if we helped to much, wouldn't be controlling? The exact thing we want to prevent!"

"Tell that to the Kage Summit, where no leaders of other countries are allowed. You throw your gifts at us, not knowing if they may be what the smaller nations need. We have no voice in your policies, policies that _dictate_ us! We grow dependant on you as you all manipulate trade and the flow of money, creating desperation for the goods you give, whether they are necessary or not!"

"Is that why you bombed the ceremony? You want to get rid of the Kages because they dominate policies?"

"No, the Kages can stay; as long as they allow the rest of the continent input into their decisions and agree to work under a single leader. But the reason for the bombing is because we know Naruto Uzumaki will never listen to our terms or methods, just like we know you won't either. For that reason, you both must be… eliminated. As long as you both continue to exist and bar our plans, the betterment of the world cannot exist…"

She was complete now, hovering again over him with the paper wings, dousing him in her shadow. Even from the distance, he could see in her face that every word she spoke she believed zealously, with belief it was the absolute truth. Nothing he would say would change her mind, would get through to her.

She could not be allowed to leave, or to carry out this plan against his friend. or himself, his family. They were the only thing that kept him in check, that kept him from slipping back into that oblivion of nothing…

"...and the cycles can be broken. The nations of Kusagakure, Takigakure, Amegakure, all the rest, will be free from the chains of the Five!"

The last village clicked in his mind, and suddenly he was able to envision her in different robes, with a headband on, one with a line through the four standing pillars, while the red clouds of her cloak had been so similar to the ones she had given him-

"Konan," he whispered. "Konan," he said louder, and her eyes widened. "You're Konan, aren't you? You were the one who was with Pain, the two shinobi from Amegakure, from Akatsuki!"

"That is my name," she answered slowly. "But the rest is nonsense. The Akatsuki were criminals, and the one called Pain a tyrannical monster of Amegakure; I never worked with either."

"You were his right hand woman," he called back to her, confused. When he had been merging Taka into Akatsuki, her closeness to the orange haired, pierced man had been obvious, the sense of respect and awe she had for him. _What happened?_ "You disappeared off the radar after Pain's death to Naruto," he continued. "There were rumors Amegakure was recovering under your hand, and then you completely vanished from the record. What happened to you?"

"I was found by my Master in Amegakure, not knowing who I was or what I was doing there. I was bleeding, dying, but he rescued me. I know nothing before those events besides my name… I know only after, the future. My past is obsolete, just like the past system of the shinobi world had become. Reform is needed under a single leader with the nation's obeying him, so they can react accordingly to a threat. Democracy can thrive with _all_ the nations, but a strong leader is needed to guide the process. A new Order is needed, Sasuke Uchiha." She held her hands to her sides, outstretched as if she were truly about to fly away with those pearly wings. "But it is an Order in which you or the Seventh Hokage can not be allowed to see."

With that, she did indeed take flight, aiming straight down. He hefted his blade, running a Chidori through it for good measure. But she never reached him; a few moments before she would have struck him, she changed her altitude and shot right over his head. He veered around, Sharingan following to see-

"SAKURA!"

 **XXX**

 **Sakura Uchiha**

She heard his scream a moment before she sensed the incoming threat. The sounds of battle outside had been distressing to listen to, the cries and groans of fighting. But the desire to protect the young and inexperienced Sarada had kept her inside the wagon with her.

Now that was rapidly changing. "Sarada, grab my arm!" Her daughter did so, wrapping her hands tightly around her own. With her other arm, she smashed the bottom of the wagon into a splintering mess. They fell through the floor, falling just a foot onto the earth.

It was just enough. As if a great knife had just sliced a loaf of bread, the incoming threat sliced the entire top of the wagon off, where her head would have been. The top slanted, then fell away, exposing them to the sky.

"Sarada, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, mom!" Her daughters eyes were red, awakened during the battle with Shin Uchiha mere months ago. Her skill was tremendous in combat; she was rivaled only by Boruto, making them both top of their class. She could not, however, allow her daughter to walk into unknown danger.

"Stay here, Sarada," she said sternly. "If one of the enemy comes, you run, got it? Don't fight a foe you don't understand or know nothing about,"

"But-"

Her danger sense was tingling, and she looked to her right to see a wheel of paper rushing at them, digging slightly into the earth. There was no time to dodge; she threw herself in front of deadly spinning wheel-

A blinding slash of blue and white took in her vision, and she shielded her eyes reflexively. Surely it was the flash of white the stories had claimed signaled death, but she still felt nothing-

"Sakura, get back!" She opened her eyes instinctively, looked over. Sasuke was there, standing in front of her with a Chidori blazing in his hand. The scattered paper of the wheel were crumpled and black, being blown away in the breeze. His blade, sleek and surprisingly bloodless, was in his other hand. His head was craned upward at a floating person, and she realized with a start that they were bearing wings, like some sort of angel...

 _Angel's don't try to kill children._ Sarada was clutching her tightly, her earlier sense of confidence seemingly vanished under the weight of almost seeing her mother die protecting her.

"You cannot protect everyone, Sasuke Uchiha," the floating woman said. "Even with your power, you cannot protect everyone you want. You will become overstretched, and either your or someone will be left uncovered by the shield you bear-"

"You want to see the shield I bear?" Sasuke asked quietly, and Sakura finally relaxed. She recognized that tone, utterly furious, yet protective and bearing proper sentiment. _It's over._

The purple hue had enveloped him as she wrapped her arm around Sarada, drawing her in. Within seconds, the ribcage had centralized around all three of them, and it continued to grow, grow. A massive, towering skeletal figure was blooming like a flower, and its eyes glowed yellow. The blue-haired woman seemed tense, unsure of what her move should be. Her coherts, who had cornered the survivors of Malandius's men and the genin teams, now turned to gaze open-mouthed at the behemoth in front of them.

"Monster! MONSTER!"

They abondoned their encirclements and made to flee. However, a downpoor of paper shuriken caused them to stop, and they looked up at their leader.

"You will stay," she ordered darkly. "You all agreed to fight for Lord S, and you will do more than put in words; you will show with actions as well." Her men turned fearfully towards the glowing purple skeleton, which was now growing ligaments and tendons, wrapping around the creature as if it were an actual sentient being coming to life...

"Susano'o," Sakura whispered as she clutched Sarada close and Sasuke took a step forward. He turned to her, and the protectiveness in his eyes gave her calming reassurance.

"Looks like negotiations are gonna have to be put on hold."


	13. Chapter 11- Arrival

**Thanks for all the feedback, I appreciate it!**

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Mount Myoboku**

When he had finished, Fukasaku closed his eyes and exhaled hard. He seemed if possible even older, more tired. "The hunt for power never changes," he murmured. "Sometimes I want to think that every wrinkle on my forehead represents every mistake I've ever made… this one is worth five more."

The Seventh leaned forward. "What happened, Geezer Sage? How do you know this guy?"

"I taught him," he replied simply, still with his eyes closed. He obviously sensed the shock resonating off Naruto, for he continued on. "His intentions had seemed genuine. He had been skilled enough to enter the dimension, and he bested me in preliminary combat. I didn't think anything of it at the time, instead I only saw a real prodigy, like your father had been."

Clenching his fists, Naruto stood up and began to pace the room. "So you taught him, what was he like? We have to know everything, Geezer Sage. He's just some man who appeared from nowhere; he could be a shadow of the past or a man carving himself for the present, we have no idea."

"His talents in combat were exceptional, he learned and mastered Frog Kumite in days, and then went on to amplify his nature transformation with nature with his already impressive base speed, his movements became blurry even for me." Fukasaku opened his eyes and drank some coffee his wife had brought them. He glared at Naruto with his horizontal pupils."He stayed long enough to learn many of the ancient toad ninjutsu, something you never returned for. In the end, I am willing to believe his mastery of Sage Mode was equivalent to yours and mine."

His shame was outclassed by the anger he was feeling for his former master. "How could you train this- this- this _monster_!" he shouted out at last. "He's terrorized the village, been as elusive as a snake, and blends into the darkness like he's night himself! How did you not suspect him?!"

"Like I said, Naruto-boy, he seemed like a natural prodigy. It wasn't until the final day did I realize something was amiss. During the final sparring match in which we both threw ourselves against each other, I nearly gained the upper hand in the ending taijutsu match. However, right when I was about to pass through his defenses, he activated… the other side."

"Other side?"

"Toad Sage Mode amplifies the user's sense of awareness, and concentrates on open combat and abilities. It is a forward form of combat, unlike its variant." Fukasaku clenched his cup. "The Serpent Sage Mode."

"Serpent Sage Mode?" Naruto echoed. "That must be what Kabuto learned… but what of it now? What are you telling me?"

"The pigments of his eyes turned brown as he activated both Sage Mode senses, a mix of purple and orange creates brown, you see… it's something I've never seen before, or even thought possible. This young man… he had also received and mastered the teachings of Ryuchi Cave, which was how he was able to master the basics of Sage mode so rapidly. The serpent Sage Mode teaches the darker side of combat, the ins and outs of slipping through an opponent's defenses, different techniques for natural energy. my only guess is that he wanted to learn the Toad Sage Mode so he could use his senjutsu for both open and closed combat types-"

Fukasaku underwent a series of violent coughs, and Naruto took the opportunity to lean against the wall as he took in all the new information. _He mastered both types of Sage Mode, no doubt he got teaching from the White Snake Sage that Kabuto said that taught him. And now he got Fukasaku to teach him here as well… what does it all mean? Does this mean that just with Toad Sage Mode I can't beat him, if he knows even more about it than I do with the addition of the Snake's teachings?_

"There is, however, a flaw in this plan of his." Naruto looked over at the old toad, surprised.

"There is?"

"Yes, it's the reason why no one else has attempted to do it before he has. His control of senjutsu is impressive, but to keep a balance between the two very different _types_ of senjutsu is difficult to maintain. In real combat, controlling both at the same time will prove strenuous for him."

"Meaning?" This precious bit of information was like finding diamonds in the ruff; it was a dawn of a new hope for fighting this machine of a man. He had to know _everything._

"Meaning that in the heat of battle, if he wants to keep his concentration on the fight itself, he will have to adopt only one of the Sage Modes. With that, with both of your impressive pre-sage power, the odds should be balanced enough for your victory."

This information was more than he could have hoped for. Now, he finally had the belief that he could actually fight the man who had beaten him so effortlessly before. But then a thought struck him, and his frown and worry returned. "But Geezer Sage, when we first fought during the Coronation, he fought me with the brown pigments, and he still bested me easily. How could he do that?"

The sickly toad's brow furrowed. "Well, I- what the devil was that!"

A sound like a bomb going off has gone off right outside the temple. Naruto hesitated as Fukasaku outstretched an arm to him. "You want to come, in your condition? Granny Sage made it sound like you could hardly move."

"Oh come off it, Naruto-boy," Fukasaku grumbled. "I am the leader of Mount Myoboku, and it sounds like someone has arrived for us to meet-"

They were interrupted by the furious battle cry of the Chief, which made the walls shake and both their eyes widen in instant realization.

 **XXX**

 **S**

The big toad of legend, the right hand aid to Minato, Jiraiya, and Naruto, was their first opponent. He remembered his name to be Gamabunta, an elderly but powerful toad with a short fuse on his temper. Beside him was a toad of marginally smaller size; the eye markings identified it as his son, and he remembered his name to be Gamakichi. For a moment, both were too stunned to properly react; he did not blame them. He had only brought Surda, leaving the rest to spread the news of his leadership in Ryuchi Cave, but no doubt the sudden appearance of one of their mortal enemies confounded them.

With a barbaric roar, Gamabunta charged them, drawing his tanto that was easily the height of a five story skyscraper. He leaped off of Surda's head, allowing the snake to move freely so as to counter the incoming blade. The second toad, his son, was apparently still immobilized with surprise, for he did not jump in to help his father.

Surda's jaws clamped down on the blade perfectly, stopping its momentum. The Chief gave a gasp of surprise, then tried to heft one of its powerful feet at Surda's body, which would have the power to send the snake flying away. In response, the giant purple snake quickly wrapped the toad's body around the toad's foot: and squeezed.

At that point the fight was over. The great oaf of a toad fell onto his back, crushing the ground slightly. His flippers clutched his devastated leg, where the bones had been broken in multiple places. Surda spat out the blade, where it landed uselessly on the ground.

Finally, the son of Gamabunta reacted and lunged, giving an equally useless barbaric cry for battle. Surda arched its head back, fangs bared to bite into the less experienced toad's neck-

He intervened, simply because he wanted to. The lumbering toad had leaped at Surda, but the distance required two leaps. He had crossed the distance in an instant with his Body-Flicker Technique, catching him as he was about to do the second jump.

 **"** **Sage Art: Animated Serpent Chains!"** From the ground, an uncountable amount of snakes emerged mystically, instantly wrapping around Gamakichi feet. Before the stupid frog had had a moment to even process what was happening, hundreds more snakes had already traveled the distance to reach his shoulders. They were bringing him down; the technique released over a thousand snakes that would bind the opponent to the ground.

 **"** **Sage Art: Syrup Stream!"** The teeth of the mask clicked insolently together. The movements of the snakes were slowing down as the thick brown syrup coated them. Many were drowning or recoiling from the concoction, and with a grunt the enormous toad managed to rip away the ones wrapping around his left arm-

 _Nothing is ever as easy as it seems._ The bottomless well of the mask's sockets glowed brown as he leaped forward, fist curled. It connected with Gamakichi's bloated stomach, and the result was instantaneous. The giant toad gave a weak gurgle, then fell forward as the organ he had hit ruptured. In another moments, the giant toad was unconscious on the ground as the snakes finishing binding him.

And he had turned to face the two new arrivals.

S spread his arms invitingly as Surda curled up behind him. "What sort of greeting is this?" he called out to Fukasaku and the Seventh. It was all he could do to not leap at the blonde's throat and kill him. But he was, unfortunately, not the target this time.

 _Though, if he did get caught in the crossfire..._

A wonderful idea blossomed in his head, and then he realized that they had been talking to him and he refocused his attention.

"... could have betrayed is in this way!" Fukasaku was shouting, his voice raspy. "Betrayed me!" A closer inspection of the miniscule Sage showed him a weak skin tone, bleary and bloodshot eyes, and frail body. _He's sick, close to death. I might not even have needed to come here and waste my time. But now that_ he's _here, it is necessary regardless._ His mask tilted to regard to Seventh, who glowered at him.

"I see your other 'star' pupil is here, too," he remarked lightly. He felt the air blowing past him stop, and he turned his head slightly. "Surda, stop. Not until I give the order."

The purple beast retreated slightly, but his tongue flicked out as he tasted the air. "As you wish."

"Your allegiance with the serpents is true, then?" Fukasaku called again. "Surely you did not bring this one along as a pet!"

"Insolent frog-"

"Surda, quiet. And Master Fukasaku, you remember how we parted. You knew then, why is this any different? Surely you already knew I would be returning someday. However, your present condition tells me your resistance will not nearly be as fun as the White Snake Sage's…"

The expression on the old toad's face was wonderful to see. Shock outlined every fiber of his sickly pale flesh. "What did you say?" the toad replied hoarsely. "Did you…?"

"His blood is on my hands," S confirmed. "As yours will be within a few moments."

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

Naruto tossed his former Master away, hoping that the threat of battle was going to be enough to make his old bones move on their own. In an instant he had activated Sage Mode, and pressing all his strength forward, he stopped the bottom lip of the unhinged jaws of the incoming serpent. The attack did not end there, however; an acrid smell was coming from deep within its mouth, and he knew what was coming.

 **"** **Sage Art: Giant Rasengan!"** The massive blue chakra ball struck the snake under its jaw, forcing its head upward, where it released the stomach acid it was regurgitating. The light yellow liquid flew forward and landed on the ground, where it dissolved the small stones and grass there in seconds.

Seconds, however, was all he needed. He rolled under the underbelly of the snake, forming two Rasengan in his palm; he had mastered how to create the jutsu of his father with one hand during the Fourth War, and now he had learned how to create even bigger versions with a palm.

 **"** **Rasengan Barrage!"** The twin spheres struck the soft underbelly of the serpent, propelling it some feet in the air with a strangled hiss. However, its tail was coming straight for him, twisting around as the scales chipped off-

He caught the purple mass easily and he closed his eyes. _Focus, harness the natural energy, gather it in the amount you need…_ He began to pull the serpent by its tail, turning his body around. Its movement stunted by the Barrage, the snake hissed angrily but was unable to stop him as he began to swing its entire body around in a circle.

 _Hold it in, keep it going… and RELEASE._ With a roar, he bodily tossed the several football-fields long serpent away, where it writhed in the air helplessly until it crashed perhaps a mile away into one of the many ponds of Mount Myoboku.

With the distraction removed, he looked over to the other engagement that had sprung up. Fukasaku was flying around Skeleton, utilizing his Frog Kumite skills to try and break a hole in the villain's defenses. However, it was immediately clear that Skeleton was well versed in either Frog Kumite or some serpent style taijutsu- hell, it could even be a mixture.

Geezer Sage seemed like an insect pestering the larger man, who blocked all his attacks effortlessly, while carelessly still throwing in his own attacks which the old toad could barely protect himself against.

Even with the knowledge of the old Sage being sick and weak, the fact Skeleton was fighting him so easily was ill comfort to him. Even as he watched, Fukasaku kicked out and followed with three jabs, all at different areas of the others body. Skeleton crossed his arms to absorb the kick, then warded off the furious attacks with simple movements. "Your condition has made you weak, Fukasaku," he commented amid another rushed and sloppy barrage. "When I first arrived I was but a student, but now _I_ am the master, it would seem."

"You betrayed this village and me," Fukasaku cried, landing on the ground, his breathing ragged. "I do not know if you were ever a student of mine, or just someone manipulating our trust. Just what do you plan to do with the power you've learned?!"

Skeleton clasped his palms together, sat cross-legged down on the ground. The sudden act made both the Seventh and Fukasaku pause in surprise, though the latter was instantly battle-ready again for any sudden movements.

"I cannot allow the world to exist as it does," Skeleton said simply. "Wars always bring change, sometimes good, sometimes bad. The Fourth Shinobi War created a continent dominated by the Five Nations, with the smaller ones subjugated to their will. The Five preach a lie of equality, and it is time that lie be broken in favor of a reality where equality does exist."

"So you plan war? It's ridiculous; if another one happens so soon, the damage might be irreversible!"

"No, my methods are much quiet than that." Skeleton's mask was smiling, the death skull's teeth _clicking_ together into an ironic devil grin. There was no warmth in that face- if there was even a face at all, Naruto was still unsure- just a sort of emptiness, an impossible void in its eyes and in the gaps of its teeth that seemed no matter what was fed into it, it would always be hungry for more.

"There are only two who can stop me, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha; gifted with their mastery over chakra and the power of the Sage of the Six Paths, only their power rivals mine. I was a prodigy from birth, I know, I was born into one of the most powerful clans in the continent. But even that extra notion is not enough to combat them; only by acquiring the power of both famous Sage lands do I now have the power to fight and kill them."

Naruto curled his fists. "We can find other ways to find peace, we are doing it now!" he snarled. "The Five Kage Summit will address the concerns of the smaller nations-"

"Without them present?" Skeleton shook his head, the death grin falling from his face. "You are doing exactly as I said, preaching a lie to the world! You must do a better job of lying, like I will do- the Five do what they do because they have the power of some sort of demigods on their side… I may not be one, but I will be enough to counter both of you. I will be the one who tips the scales in favor of the continent."

 _'_ _You must do a better job of lying, like I will do,' what does he man?_ "You are raving," Geezer Sage said stoutly. "I may not be a 'demigod' or whatever it is you called Naruto-boy, but I will not allow you to progress further with this plot of yours."

"Did you forget, old man," Skeleton whispered breathily, still cross-legged on the ground. "That it was I who came here with the power to kill you. Move over for the next generation… or better yet, you'll help us make room."

Geezer Sage gave a throaty laugh. "You are indeed mad if you think I will help you."

Something moved in Skeleton's right eye socket, and a glimmer of red light formed in it. A heartbeat later, Naruto realized it was an actual eye, a real sign of life in the face.

 _A Sharingan? No, impossible, after Shin Uchiha I thought we had found and dealt with them all. Is this another imposter, or is he really of the clan?_

"I did not give you a choice," Skeleton breathed. "Giving people choices allows room for failure; the choices of one allow certainty, predictability."

"So your words on 'equality' are just as false as your intentions when you first came here?" Fukusaku said, barely audibly. He apparently had noticed the Sharingan as well, and was shaken.

"But of course; the smaller nations must be brought under an illusion of equality as well, instead of actually fighting for it. One man ruling the continent is needed; let the nations have their plaything of democracy, as it is the only thing that will make them stop squabbling. Playing their goals is the perfect approach to unity, and the illusion of keeping it is the perfect way of keeping unity."

"So that's what you mean by 'doing a better job of lying?'" Naruto asked, his fists clenched. He could not recall being this angry since he had discovered Obito's reasoning for starting the Fourth Shinobi War. _He lied to himself, and through that lie he hurt others. At least Obito wasn't aware his lie was hurting others, he really believed he would help others. This guy... he knows it, and he's going to go through it anyways._

"You… you make me sick!"

"And you do, too." Once again, he was taken aback by the ferocity in the others voice. "You're an abomination the word 'Hokage,' to the concept of leadership and peace. You don't know anything about either, but you still have the gall to wear the badge of honor! _YOU ARE UNWORTHY TO LEAD US TO PEACE!"_

Skeleton's final scream sent the tiny red pupils in the well of the mask's eyes sockets glowing, and the fury in his voice made him to paralyzed to move.

 **"** **KOTOAMATSUKAMI!"**

Fukasaku froze, his body seemingly paralyzed. Naruto immediately went over, held the toad in his arms.

"Naruto Uzumaki is going to destroy the world if he continues to live," S said aloud, now standing up. "He may be your treasured student, but _I_ say he is to dangerous and a threat. You _will_ take the right measures to stop him."

The Geezer Sage was twitching in his arms, eyes squeezed shut. Naruto did not know what to do with himself; it seemed very much that his master was going to die in his arms. However, after a moment his body grew still, except for the wheezing of his lungs.

 _Alive, but what did that jutsu do?_ And it sounded distantly familiar…

"Kill him, Fukasaku. You know it's right."

Naruto had time to look at Skeleton in disbelief before a powerful kick struck him in the ribs, making him go sliding across the earth. He was stupefied to see it was the Geezer Sage who had done it, his leg still coming down from the kick.

"Geezer Sage?"

"I should have known you would become this dangerous, Naruto-boy," the Sage replied. "Abusing the power we taught you… I regret it, but you must be put down."

The world had twisted sideways so much that it was upside down. The Seventh felt light-headed, queasy in his stomach. How could the Geezer Sage be saying things like this to him, a moment after he had just been in heated desperation to kill Skeleton?

Unless…

"Your jutsu… I know what it is."

Skeleton leaned back, evidently not suspecting Naruto to be able to possibly deduce the information. However, he quickly recovered and glowered back at him, the bright red in his sockets gone. "And what's that?"

"During the Fourth Shinobi War, I met Itachi Uchiha reincarnated. He told me about the Kotoamatsukami, how he used it to break the chain of control caused by Kabuto's Reanimation Jutsu. It's a power of the Mangekyo Sharingan, and he told me there were only two eyes in existence, but that when he burned the crow he had implanted one of the eyes in, he said both Sharingan were now destroyed, removing all memory of its owner."

Skeleton _clacked_ his teeth together again. "And your point is?" he hissed.

"Shisui Uchiha is dead, and his eyes are as well. So how did you get those eyes!"

"Shisui Uchiha is dead, and his eyes are gone," Skeleton agreed. "But only from a point of view."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

The skull's teeth came apart as the shoulders shrugged. "You're not going to be around long enough for me to waste the effort in explaining. But you _do_ know that the Kotoamatsukami is a special ocular genjutsu that allows thoughts to be implanted into an individual's mind without them knowing. In capable hands, entire minds can be warped, memories and emotions towards another erased. It is the ultimate tool in terms of subjugation."

Naruto's control finally broke, and he flew across the ground to sink his fist into Skeleton's mask. However, the other had Body-Flickered behind him in an instant, kicking him in the small of his back so that he lost balance and landed on his chest. He turned around, expecting a killing blow, but Skeleton only stood there, looking down at him with black pits of eyes.

"Well? Aren't you going to kill me, like you said?"

"Not yet; as much as you are an abomination that I so truly want to kill, I believe having you and Fukasaku fight to the death will prove much more entertaining for me."

His blood ran cold. "What did you say?"

"Enjoy yourselves, Naruto, Fukasaku. I'll be waiting for the victor."

" _Damn you, Skeleton. I swear, I am going to kill you."_

The skull turned to look at him on the ground, like a parent addressing a helpless child. "Death is something we all face, but for me it's not reality yet. For you… well…" He gestured to their left, and Naruto saw to his mounting horror, Fukasaku was creating a tornado of water, his eyes locked on Naruto with mixed regret and determination.

"Well, we'll see what sort of reality you hold."


	14. Chapter 12- Konan

**XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

Power flooded him, familiar and abundant. This time, however, it wasn't being put to the use of hurting those he cared about. A family to protect, no matter how many times he had to leave them.

 _I'll do a better job than Father ever did._

The blue-haired woman- he was certain she was the Konan of the past now- swept down at him, firing paper needles at him. He didn't bother warding them off; the Susanno's body deflected them easily and he raised the left hand of the humanoid to smash her out of the sky. However, she barrel rolled through his hand as it was closing, missing capture by a hairsbreadth. She fluttered up into the sky, out of reach of the purple, grasping hands.

A sudden clattering brought his attention back to the ground. One of the other enemy shinobi, obviously having lost his sense of rational, had attempted to attack the Susano'o with a kunai clasped tightly in his hands. The sound he had heard was the kunai knife snapping in half as its tip met the outer shell of the Magenkyo Sharingan's ability.

Sasuke narrowed his gaze down at the other, deciding of another way to remove him from the fight. Their eyes met, and he fed his intent into the enemy shinobi.

 _You are not here, you are not there. You are in Nothing, and you will remain there, for you_ are _nothing compared to me. You are in Nothing..._

The genjutsu was a darker sort, one that invaded the emotional side of the brain that fed self-worth. He had created it during the training for Orochimaru, when the other had asked him to remove an upstart testing subject from his single-minded goal for revenge.

Then and now, it was proving effective. The shinobi let the broken kunai fall to his feet, and he merely curled himself into a shaking ball on the ground.

For a moment, the other shinobi stared at him. Then their gaze transferred to the other Konoha-nin, who despite having been battered heavily in the previous skirmish, eyed them with renewed determination now that the Susano'o had bolstered their ranks. Then their wild eyes looked over at their huddled, befuddled comrade. Finally, they eyed their leader, the Angel of Amegakure, turned winged demon of unknown purpose.

Sasuke was surprised to see the conflict in them. Ordinarily, once he had so prominently defined the invincibility of the Susano'o, resistance crumbled in moments. But these men had not run off in fear; were they _that_ dedicated to this hidden leader? Or were they just afraid Konan would kill them if they fled?

A very recent memory flashed through Sasuke: that of some of the enemy stabbing the squad teacher ferociously, without pause, even with the threat of battle around them. The barbaric gleam in their eye...

 _Criminals have that look. Murderers, those with no care for the law or themselves. Those who no longer have anything to lose, and want others to know their suffering. These are outcasts of different villages, after the war._

He had seen them, all to many of them, on his exile. Those who had become _too_ in depth to the fighting, who had found the killing _too_ exciting, and wanted more of it. War and death changed people; he was an example of that himself.

 _So they've all flocked under a banner, no wonder why we haven't seen any new insurrections; they're all to busy following someone else. Someone who uses them to satisfy his own goals while he satisfies their thirst for violence._ He clenched his jaw, suddenly disgusted. _No cause can be true of virtue when it uses the scum of civilization._

 _"There are many of us, Sasuke Uchiha."_ Konan was not wrong there; over 6,000 shinobi of the 45,000 estimated survivors had either never returned to their villages or been outlawed for refusing to leave their newfound desire for violence. Some had reared their heads in fights against order, some had appeared in new criminal reports, like the leader of the Red Dawn gang in Konoha.

 _We need to capture her for more information,_ Sasuke decided. And in that moment, both of them struck.

The Susano'o bounded into the air with surprising speed, forcing Konan to release the mass of paper bombs she had been amassing in the folds of her wings. Now, they raced towards him, attaching themselves to the body of the chakra beast. He watched as hundreds of them obscured his vision, allowing her to again slip out of his grip.

Below, he heard the bellows of both sides as combat resumed. He knew Sakura would keep Sarada safe, even though the young Uchiha had already proven capable of taking care of herself. They would fulfill their side of the battle, he had to fulfill his.

 _Concentrate._ He was getting exhausted with the massive chakra demands of the Susano'o, the familiar stabbing pain throughout his body was distantly present, as it had appeared in full swing during his attack on the Five Kage Summit all those years ago. But he needed to stay focused, for the sake of his family and friends-

The paper bombs exploded as his jump reached its zenith at the very top of the towering rocky faces, and he realized to late that they had accumulated on the left arm of the Susano'o. The explosion slammed him into the side of the cliff, causing house-size chunks of rock to fall onto the fighters below-

 **XXX**

 **Sakura**

The growing shadow of the falling rocks drew her attention to the sky. There were five of them that were large enough to flatten both the caravan's defenders and it's assailants.

Snorting with impatience, she windmill-kicked the enemy shinobi that had been trying to creep into her blind spot while she was distracted. His neck snapped and he fell backwards without a sound.

Looking up again, she guessed she only had enough time to take out two of the massive rocks. Three were going to land on the side of the caravan, which would block escape, while the other two would smash into the enemy's rear and cut off their way forward.

 _A medical shinobi must understand retreat is not cowardly, but a viable tactic._ The caravan's defenders were holding up well, but if the tide turned against them, they would need to fall back.

But she could see another set of tactics unfolding right in front of her. "Company!" she shouted, hoping her voice would echo enough for all to hear. "Solid Line, Horizantal formation! Backpedal!"

The caravan heard her, and suddenly the indivudal fights ended as the survivors formed a single solid line of defense. The attackers seemed momentarily mystified by strategy in the midst of their barbaric attack, but then, obviously exhausted with hand-to-hand fighting, bounded forward to attack with long-ranged attacks- as she had hoped.

Sakura bounded to the air, using chakra concentrated into her feet to shoot her up high. In an excellent display of chakra control, she had transferred the internal energy to her fist, which she held before her-

 _CRACK._ The boulder split open into several smaller rocks which came down onto the others below, forcing them out of their concentration to realize the threat from above.

 _Three seconds till impact, only time for one more-_

She smashed the rock closest to her, disintegrating it into pebbles as her frustration enhanced the power of the swing. Their escape would still be blocked, and her strategy was now about to backfire as the third rock shot down towards the defense line-

 _CRACK._ The sound of a third boulder smashing snapped her attention away from her thoughts. Sarada, determination etched into her face, appeared out of the cloud of rubble that had appeared from the large rock's destruction. She smiled at her mother before she returned to the defense line, which was taking a beating from the long-ranged attacks.

However, the plan had fallen into place, and she smiled tightly to herself as she steadied herself on the cliff wall, standing horizontally on the vertical surface to watch.

The defense line, slowly pulling backwards, had suffered minor injuries from the falling pebbles and stones from the three destroyed boulders.

The attackers, having stayed in the exact same position due to using distanced attackers, had been to focused on their desire to kill to notice the rapidly descending shadows of the other two boulders.

Dislodged from the same place, the five boulders had fallen in relative proximity to each other. The defense line, backing up, barely pulled out of the shadow of the fourth boulder.

Their attackers, standing in the middle of he fifth, didn't.

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

For a moment, he free-fell with the boulders, unable to regain control. The Susano'o had absorbed the explosions well enough, though the tendons on the left arm were charred and chipped. He knew, however, that falling hundreds of feet to the ground and combatants would not end well for himself or anyone below.

This woman, Konan, she was different, there was no doubt. There had been a quiet gentleness about her before, when he had joined Akatsuki. Now, he could only feel its ghost. Hardened desire to kill, to kill him and his closest friend Naruto, had replaced it.

He would stop her, and he would find out what had done this to her. To change a mind as warm and gentle as hers-

 _It makes me sick._

Anger was what had clouded his mind, his judgment, his very life. But back then it had been untamed, wild, controlling. Now he controlled it, and now it gave him the concentration and strength he needed.

The Full Susano'o emerged in seconds; the purple tendons gave way to thick samurai armor, glowing swords materialized on his back, and a crossbow appeared on the armored wrist of the Susano'o.

And wings. He had forgotten the rush of flying, the exhilaration. His fall stopped, and he was suddenly zooming through the air, as agile as an eagle.

Konan had never seen his Full Susano'o; she had no way of knowing he was coming. He caught her in the middle of creating another assembly of paper bombs, and the expression of surprise on her face gave him a grin of satisfaction. He batted her fiercely with an open hand, like a fly swatter hitting a fly. She went tumbling end over end, her left wing completely broken. She landed on the top of the cliffs that surrounded the fighters, though the sounds of combat had faded with the explosions of the boulders hitting the ground.

 _Two hits. Sakura must have taken care of the rest, and knowing that mind of hers, she's put those two rocks to use._

He landed lightly onto the surface, but despite his best efforts the ground trembled at the power at the Susano'o's feet. Konan dizzily tried to get to her feet, but she only stumbled and fell again. He saw now he had done more than busted her wing; the sleeve on her left arm was shredded and burnt, and blood welled from an unseen wound.

"Now you have some red to go with that blemish on your other arm," he commented, sensing she was defeated. He allowed the Susano'o to dissolve completely, and he stepped towards her on his own to feet. Her right arm swung out at him, the red star tattooed in the middle of the white circle flashing out at him from behind a rope of paper that wound itself around his neck.

He gripped the rope at the base, and ran a Chidori through it. The white flakes dissolved into charred dust, and she received a brief shock before he stopped the flow of electricity.

"You're beaten," he snorted coldly, kicking her right arm out of the way before she could try another attack. "Now give me some answers: who are you working for?"

"I don't answer those who don't deserve to be answered," she growled. _There's still fight in her, after all this?_ he thought, amazed. Instead, he bent down in front of her face and grabbed her chin, forced the amber eyes to meet his own.

"I'll subject you to my genjutsu unless you talk," Sasuke told her softly. A flicker of fear ran through her gaze, and he realized he had her. "Now tell me, _who sent you after us_?"

"You already know him," she muttered. "He's told me before, when we were alone and he shared, that he knew you from the life had left behind."

"'Life left behind?' When was he talking about?"

"He never said, but whenever he spoke of it he grew very bitter and remorseful, like he wanted to go back to whenever those days were-"

"A name, give me a name!"

She tossed her burnt and filthy blue-hair out of her eyes from where it had fallen. "From the day he rescued me and gave me, gave us _all_ purpose, he told us to refer to him as S. The only piece of the past he would cling to, he said." Her amber eyes narrowed against his red ones. They were filled with uncontained amusement. "Your media has coincidentally dubbed him 'Skeleton,' fitting right into that."

Sasuke rolled his eyes then closed him. So they had a letter to go with the terrorist behind the bombing, it wasn't much use. "Why did he bomb during Naruto's coronation?"

"He hates him as much as he hates the Five Nations," she answered coolly. "It's something personal, I think."

"And what do you think? Why does he hate him?"

Her eyes betrayed what was going on. He had a moment to get off her before the rush of air behind him told him that his head was seconds from being taken from his body. He rolled across the cliff plateau, looking at her venomously. Konan's wings had reformed, and she was hovering above him once again.

"Dwell on what I have told you, Sasuke Uchiha," she told him carelessly. "For what little good it'll do you."

"What did he do to you?" he asked sincerely. "What could he have done to twist you like this? You were someone different, so different from this. What _happened_?"

"Reality happened, Uchiha. Lord S has shown me what cruelty the world is made of. He can fix it, make it a better place without something as complex or mistrustful as the Infinite Tsukiyomi. It only requires three steps."

He did not why he asked, he did not expect a reply. "Which are?"

"The first is the destruction of Konohagakure. With it destroyed, the order of lies which has been created under the Five Great Nations will collapse. The second and third are the deaths of you and Naruto Uzumaki, as I told you."

The matter-of-fact tone stunned him almost as much as her telling him at all. _Is she that confident they can succeed, that she can tell me their whole plan?_

She was going to take off, but he was not done. "You didn't answer my question?"

"I wasn't aware you had asked, so much as demanded," she retorted.

"Why does your Lord hate Naruto so much?"

Her eyes creased, and Sasuke was again stunned to see some fear in them. "Naruto failed to do something for Lord S," she murmured. "Something that peaks his fury to its purest extent. The very mentioning of his name is enough to send my Master into a rage that could destroy a whole town."

She looked at him with those same eyes. "Go back to walking the world, Sasuke Uchiha. Leave the fighting to those who are stupid enough to stand up to Lord S, they will no doubt die. You are smart, you can still take your family and hide. You are targeted only because you stand up to us; Naruto must die no matter what. Forget about him, forget about the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and just walk away from it all. Only then can the security of your family be ensured."

"So abandon my best friend and my village is all you are asking?"

"Don't be a-"

"Fool? Idiot? Bravado-filled husband who's in over his head?" His voice was filled with contempt. "I could use the very same words for you. Your so called 'Lord S' may outwardly seem to want all this peace bullshit he's thrusting onto you, onto the men and women foolish and desperate enough to believe him. But all _I_ see is a dangerous man who's been hurt by the past, and now wants to hurt everyone's future. I have seen it time and time again, and I can only tell you the only fool here is you for soaking up every empty promise has given you."

He pounded a fist to his chest twice, the sound like a drum. "I have a promise to keep my family safe, but my family is not just my flesh and blood. My family is my friend Naruto, and the people of the Hidden Leaf Village who have accepted me as who I am. _You_ once had a similar promise to Nagato, to Amegakure. My abandoning those promises, you are the biggest disgrace I have ever set my eyes on-"

He batted away the paper ropes that came for him again, formed out of her silent fury. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she whispered, though her voice contained the pure anger of a hundred screams. "Whatever you speak of, I know nothing about. Lord S has given me a future, a life to live! I owe him everything, without him I would be a dead woman."

"Better to be dead than serve a man like him, a man who has lied to you from the very beginning!" he shouted at her. "A man who has told you nothing of the very full past you once lived, all so that he can warp you into the obedient drone you are now!"

"ENOUGH!" she screamed, and she took off, leaving him alone. He was too furious to remember he had wanted to capture her, but as he slowly calmed himself down and remembered the caravan's survivors and his family we're waiting for him, he realized he had indeed been given a crucial bit of information.

He knew this man, or had known him, from the past. It could mean anyone, from when he was a child, from when he was with Orochimaru, from when he was with Taka or Hebi or Akatsuki. But he _knew_ him somehow, and it was a start to his identity.

But more importantly, this man S didn't just want Naruto removed because he was a threat. He wanted him dead because he _hated him._

Sasuke had hated Itachi, Danzo, Obito, Madara. All of them had ended up dead, one way or another. A person's hatred was a powerful weapon: it gave them the drive to commit vengeance, the desire to get even. If this Lord S hated Naruto, and he was powerful enough to have twisted someone like Konan to his side, then Naruto had been right, this _was_ a serious threat.

He could only hope that wherever or whatever Naruto was up to, he was as far away from S as he could.


	15. Chapter 13- The Promise

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Mount Myoboku**

There was almost no chance to go on the offensive. The ground was littered with craters and potholes from the energy released from Fukasaku's missed jabs and kicks, and he dryly thought to himself, _One small guy can pack quite the punch._

He flung himself at a tree and caught one of the lower branches by both hands, swinging his body around and outstretching his legs. His timing proved true, and he struck his mystified sensei in the stomach, sending the small toad flying across the field. The Seventh landed easily on top of the branch, and once more tried the appeal of words.

"Sensei, listen to me, please! He's done something to you, you saw it yourself!"

"The only thing I've seen is your callous misuse of the power I taught you." Fukasaku landed neatly on the ground, his kick having down no more than increased the anger in his horizontal irises.

"What abuse?!" Naruto shouted desperately at the other. How the Kotoamatsukami worked, he was unsure, but if he could solve whatever problem had been planted in the old toad's head, it would be a step in the right direction. However, the answer would have to come later: Fukasaku leaned to the left, and suddenly he fazed out. The golden-haired kage closed his eyes and orange pigments surrounded them; he felt the disturbance in nature rapidly approaching from his right and blocked a colossal kick from the smaller toad. The impact shattered the branch he was standing on, and both leaped into the air.

However, the fight did not stop, and gravity for the moment had no say in their conflict. They whaled at each other in the emptiness, Fukasaku always attacking. His speed was incredible despite his frail state and age, and the toad just bounced around him like some sort of tick. Naruto grunted as one of his sensei's strikes slipped over his arm and struck him painfully in the chest. Reacting swiftly, he grasped Fukasaku's leg by the ankle and flung him towards the ground. He toad hurtled like a meteor to the earth, and like one he exploded on reaching it.

Gasping from the pain, the Seventh fell out of the sky and crashed to the ground as well. He pulled out his shirt and examined the massive bruise forming on his chest. _Can't let it bother me, not for an instant._

 **"Sage Art: Frog Call!"** From the dust cloud of where Fuksaku had landed, a wave of glowing rings emerged to quickly for himself to react. The rings, which he realized was actually sound made visible through chakra, hammered him to the ground. The sound was splitting apart his head, no matter how tightly he held his hands over his ears. _Can't... take... it..._ His very body was paralyzing; the liquids in his body were vibrating from the hypersonic wave, freezing his muscles. He keeled over like a statue, his eyes the only thing moving.

"Naruto, I wish you had turned out like Jiraiya-boy." Fukusaku stood next to him, looking down at him coldly. "He was a good lad, who used the powers we taught him for good use, not the malevolent crimes you have committed!"

"Cri-mes?" his tongue felt like someone was holding it, but he forced out the word.

"Attacking the Leaf Village, your own people! Disgusting, you should be ashamed of yourself for what you've done."

Shock ran through his body, electrifying him and pulling him out of the paralysis. He flipped himself away, landing crookedly but on two feet. "Attacking the Leaf? That wasn't me, it was Skeleton!" he shot a finger at the figure sitting casually on the roof of the Great Temple, watching the two fight to the death. To Naruto's incensement, he waved good-naturedly at them both as his finger jabbed.

 _I still don't even know if I can even touch this guy, he's so strong and quick. But he sure knows how to push my buttons._ He reburied the old fears into subconscious as Fukasaku spoke up.

"Do not cover your darkness with more lies, Naruto," Fukasaku snarled. "I was originally only going to capture and hand you over to the villagers for judgement, but now I will have to kill you. Accusing Lord S of a crime like that... absurd!"

"Okay, what's so great about him?" he was stalling for time, and perhaps both he and Fukasaku knew it. However, the Kotoamatsukami did not enslave the others mind, he knew that. It only implanted ideas into the victim, made them think things without them realizing the thoughts themselves were not of their own. Fukusaku was inherently a patient person, and Naruto was counting on him taking time to talk so he could find an opening to quickly end the fight.

The small toad knitted together his graying eyebrows. "Lord S plans to reunify the world under his hand, to make it better. He is a great and powerful man with the best intentions of our way of life at heart!"

That didn't sound right to him. Hadn't the masked freak said he _hated_ what the shinobi way of life had become? _He's the one spinning lies here, to win over Fukasaku with his jutsu. If I can make Geezer Sage see the facts, maybe I can break the techniques hold over him._

 **"Sage Art: Frog Call!"**

 **"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"** Nine Naruto's poofed out of existence, and the central three were struck by the sound waves and instantly fell away. The others ran fast, attempting to outflank the wizened Sage. Fuksaku looked to his sides, then clasped his hands together. **"Sage Art: Oil Bath!"** An ocean of dark liquid spewed out of his mouth and he took to he air, still letting it run like a broken faucet. The clones found their shoes and feet soaked with the stuff, but the collective thought ran through their minds: _We're still fine?_

 **"Sage Art: Fire Style Dragon Breath!"** The oil ignited from the old toad's mouth with a massive roar that echoed throughout the entire land-

And the clones were on fire, screaming madly, trying to uselessly pat out the flames. Naruto himself threw himself out of the oil, undid the Kage's cape as it burnt to ash. His hands were red with heat burn, and the left leg of his pants was smoking. He couldn't even feel the skin underneath; not a good sign. He closed his eyes, calming himself. _Think, think, how can I create an opening?_

"Now what the hell is all the ruckuss now-?"

Shima stood open-mouthed at the entrance of the Great Temple, first looking at the Chief and Gamakichi's battered bodies, then to the still burning oil, and then to Naruto who gave her a helpless shrug. Inside, however, he was cheering for her. _Perfect timing Granny Sage! If he won't listen to me, he'll definitely listen to you!_

Skeleton, high on the roof, seemed to be thinking the same thing, and made to stand up. Naruto looked up at him, daring for the masked creep to make a move. He was, after all, the real problem here, not Fukasaku. The quicker he could get to stopping him, the better. For now, however, the other seemed to be hesitant to engage Naruto all for the sake of stopping Shima, and instead looked down at the unfolding conversation.

"Fukasaku what on earth are you doing!" Shima screamed. "Why are you attacking Naruto-boy?! And why are Gamabunta and Gamakichi wounded?!"

"Shima, dear, get back!" the old sage growled, landing in between her and Naruto. "Help me deal with him, so we can end this quickly. He's been keeping up with me so far, we must finish this now-"

"You old fool, what do you mean 'finish this now?' Naruot-boy is Jiraiya's pupil, and the Child of Prophecy! Not to mention the Seventh Hokage, now why the devil are you attacking him!"

Fukasaku's eyebrows came together again. "He attacked the Leaf Village, 'Ma. Bombed it pretty well, didn't he? Now, help me do the Toad Confrontation Chat-"

"Attack on the Leaf Village?! Are you _mad_?" Naruto grinned. In their older years, Shima had always been the dominating partner in the Sage's long marriage, and he could begin to see doubt cloud Fukasaku's eyes. However, the male toad seemed to shrug it off and glared angrily at his wife. "Don't play stupid, 'Ma! If you're not going to help, then get out of the damned way!"

Naruto brought his hands up, steadying himself into his favorite frog kumite stance with palms facing Fukasaku. The smaller toad came at him from all angles again, but he was able to keep up with him fairly easily. More easily than before; the labored breathing of the student of the Great Toad Sage filled their taijutsu battle. _He's getting tired, or his sickness is catching up with him._ Naruto crossed his arms to block a particulary vicious uppercut from his sensei, and the clash of nature energy blew them apart. Both landed feet away from each other, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Granny Sage watching them both open-mouthed.

Fukasaku came at him again, but Naruto's heightened senses saw where he was going to strike and placed a substitution in his place. The log left behind exploded, making Fukasaku reflexively raise an arm to protect his eyes from flying wood. Silently, the Seventh came up behind him and held a kunai knife to the base of the other's neck. "Stop, Geezer Sage," he breathed, catching his breath. "I don't want to fight you anymore, just stop."

"Damn my age," Fukasaku muttered, his left flipper coming up to his chest. "If I wasn't like this, you'd be dead you ingrate!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Naruto found the kunai knife being blown out of his hand by a gust of wind, and then he was on his rump looking at Shima, who had come in between them. "What has gotten into you both? Two Sages from Mount Myoboku should _never_ be fighting to this degree, let alone a master and student!"

"Granny Sage, listen to me," the Seventh said earnestly. "Skeleton, up on the roof, he's put Geezer Sage under some sort of genjutsu-"

"Don't listen to his lies, 'Ma!" Fukasaku ground out. "He's only trying to deceive you, so he can probably kill us both."

Shima looked between them both, torn. Naruto bit his bottom lip, knowing what was going on inside her head. She had obviously not heard of the attack on the Leaf a few weeks ago, or if she had, she had not been told who was behind it. Now, it was a matter of who she believed more; her husband, or her husband's student.

The decision was made when Skeleton suddenly appeared before them, and ran splayed fingers through the exposed stomach of the stunned Fukasaku.

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara, Konohagakure**

"Got another one for you, Mister Nara. You want to see him?"

Seated behind the Hokage's desk, Shikamaru Nara, acting Hokage in the absence of Naruto, put away his mask of exhaustion. "Sure, but are there any more after?"

"Just the one, sir."

"Alright, just bring him in."

It had been an exhausting day, behind the desk. Whether it was the patrol's filing reports of breaking up brawls between people of other nations, or notifications of another Universal Voice protest forcing another shop to close down, the line of visitors did not end. Two more vandalisms had occurred in an echo of the Timuujin Market Square incident, though they had been stopped before that same damage could be done. He longed to be outside with his former teammates but permanent friends, the Konoha 11, who he knew had gone out for sushi and would be finishing by now.

 _Now, if I could just be a cloud..._

 _No, not that thinking again. You can't just laze off like that anymore, you've got responsibilities and a village waiting on you to be run. Still... thirty-two visitors in seven hours. What a drag._

The doors of the Hokage Office opened again, and he was surprised that the final visitor was wearing the blue overalls over the yellow uniform of a member of the recently made Electrical Department. Many people, he knew, still did not understand the relatively new revolution of electricity that now powered the entire village instead of just hospitals and vital buildings. Shikamaru didn't understand quite all of it himself, but the men of the E.D knew their stuff just as well as a shinobi would know how to hit a target dead center with a shuriken.

"What can I do for you, Manager?" he asked, reading the insignia on the left overall with squinted eyes.

"Well, sir, I didn't wish to disturb you because I know a lot's been going on-"

Shikamaru grimaced. _Even the electricians have noticed the loss of order._ "Don't mind it, Manager. Just tell me what you have to report."

"Yes, well, I run the Southern Quadrant, sir, but we're down a member. He was a retired ANBU and I thought you might have pulled him from duty, and we really need him back for the night shifts-"

"No retired ANBU have been pulled back into the force, Manager," Shikamaru said, frowning. "If he's gone, it's not because of us."

The E.D Manager paled. "Well, where did he go, then? He reported that he was going out to investigate a power anomaly a two days ago, and then never checked back in!"

 _This is just getting tedious_. "Never checked back in? You mean he quit?"

"No, sir. Jansen was one of our most dedicated workers, he wouldn't have just quit out of nowhere. It's more like he just... I dunno, disappeared!"

"People change, Manager," he said, tapping his finger three times on the desk. This was the signal for his aide to step in and remove the occupant from the room. "He could've just grown tired of the job and left. My understanding is that it's not all that exciting, after all."

"Oh, I see how it is!" the Manager stood up angrily. "Should've known you're already in the commercial industry bastards pocket! Jansen goes to check out one of your diners over power usage, and you just hush it up real quietly-"

"I'm not in the commercial industry's pocket," Shikamaru said, getting angry himself. "What are you talking about, anyways?" He quickly tapped his finger three times again, and his aide stopped moving to relax against the wall.

"I'm talkin about the Outlaw Man Diner! They're raking in profits like its leaves during fall! And now they're given you a cut of their pie, huh? How are we supposed to regulate power usage if you're just gonna led the power junction light up like a circus for them!"

"Outlaw Man Diner... that was formerly the Kurai Niku Diner, wasn't it? Saki's black market hub?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I sold the place to the proprietors myself," Shikamaru muttered, thinking back to just a few days ago. They had seemed like reasonable men, intent on running the diner how they saw fit. There had been something off about the, though, he remembered that. They were hiding something, he was sure. Perhaps they were one of those many people who had no idea how to work their electricity, and had not brought it up for fear of their ownership being denied? No, one of them had been an electrician. How, then, could the southern quadrant be flaring up like this like the Manager and Jansen had reported?

Missing workers and power fluctuations under the control of an expert meant something wasn't adding up, but the Manager's incensed tone suddenly broke his concentration. "So what are you going to do about this, huh?" the other demanded. "I'm a man short and a hundred volts from a meltdown in the quadrant!"

"I'll be investigating it myself," Shikamaru said shortly, standing up from behind his desk. The other seemed flabbergasted by the man running the village personally investigating his problem, and he folded quite easily.

"Well... I-uh... thanks, Mister Nara."

"No worries, Manager, just looking to help. But, would you mind giving me one piece of information?"

"Sure, what?"

"A fully detailed map of the southern quadrant's electrical layout combined with a standard village map complete with businesses, housing, street names, everything."

The Manager gaped at him. "That's a lot of information you're asking for, the hell do you need it all for?"

Shikamaru smiled thinly at him, gestured towards the stack of reports on his deck. "I'd like to read something that isn't a riot report."

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

"FUKASAKU!"

"GEEZER SAGE!"

Skeleton did not pay attention to their cries; he unceremoniously wrenched his hand free of the old toad's stomach and examined his bloody hand. "I'm almost sorry to have done it this way," he said apologetically to the shocked and dying toad. "You were a good teacher, and a noble warrior. The White Snake Sage was given a good death, and I regret the same couldn't be given to you. Perhaps your comrades can give you a hero's funeral."

Naruto heard it all with rising fury. "How can you say that to him?" he forced out through clenched teeth. "God, just who in the hell gave you the right to be so high and mighty?"

Whether he listened or ignored him, the mask did not turn to face him.

It was glaring at Shima, who was blinded by her own tears.

"Best to get rid of both of you, I suppose," he said loftily. His red hand splayed its fingers-

Naruto was there in an instant, grabbed the arm in a second. Skeleton seemed surprised by his speed, but no doubt he saw what the Seventh was feeling. The blonde's blue irises had gone from blue and circular to red and vertical.

Peace had been made between the Nine-Tails and the Seventh years ago during the war, and they maintained a strong friendship. However, the concern had arisen that Naruto's strength did not come from himself, but rather only from the powers of the fox stored inside him. While the citizens of Konohagakure had made an unruly truce with the fox, the idea of their new Hokage getting his powers from a creature that had destroyed the village once in the past was a daunting prospect. Kurama had been content to be minimally used; the last time his powers had been needed was for the rogue Shin Uchiha, and then later to combat the emergence of Toneri Ootsutsuki. Otherwise, the fox quietly remained entrenched inside him in a sort of hibernation state.

The fear and discontent in the jinchuuriki had only stirred the beast at first. Now, his rage had been wide awake.

 _SNAP_. Naruto's fist came together, and the crack of bone in S's arm as he broke it seemed like a warning bell to the former to take leave. The skeleton's face contorted in mixed pain and a snarl, it's primitive features displaying enough ferocity to make Naruto slacken his grip just a little bit.

S brought his leg up and kicked the Seventh away, but he landed surely on his feet, his face laced with venomous intent. "Lay one hand on her," he snarled. "And I'll break your neck next."

The skeleton face's empty eyes stared into him. "Like the beast you are, I see," S remarked, clutching his broken arm. "The animal in you is as unpredictable as you are, _Lord_ Seventh." He used the term mockingly, and Naruto clenched his fists again, feeling the overgrown nails dig into his palm.

"I can't help it, you make me so angry it's all I can do to not tear you apart!"

"Touché, Naruto Uzumaki. The very sight of you makes my blood boil. I had hoped you and Fuksaku would sufficiently tear each other apart, but it slipped my mind Shima might intervene. A small oversight that cost me what could have been a wonderful performance."

Naruto took a menacing step forward, but the other only smiled. "I am not your puppet," he growled. "Neither are the people of the Leaf Village, or even the people of other nations! Drop back into whatever hole you came from, you bastard, before I put you in one!"

"I remember when it was I who making the threats," S remarked wistfully. Then the mask changed from thoughtfulness to an emotionless iron stare. "I will turn those into puppets who I need, and others can remain uninvolved. People can be so easily manipulated when you feed their hopes, you see, but those who are so against you, like you and Sasuke, I know cannot play a part in the show. That's why I tried to have your strings cut, my dear friend-"

"I am _not_ your friend-"

S shrugged. "So be it. But this battle is done, I have done what I needed. The legendary Sage masters of the Ryuchi Cave and Mount Myoboku lie dead, putting both out of the fight. The only thing that stands between me and total control is, well, you and Sasuke."

"If you put one hand on him-"

"He should be under attack right now, actually," Skeleton smiled at his shock. "Yes, an attack on multiple fronts is normally a good strategy, is it not? My most trustworthy disciple should have him and his caravan dying in a mountain pass right about now-"

 _Sasuke! Sakura! Sarada!_ The thought of them, dead on a journey he was supposed to have gone on...

His anger collected into a hot sensation in his stomach, and he felt Kurama emerge into his consciousness.

 **"I thought we said we weren't going to be acting on hatred, Naruto. Well, that's what you told _me_ at least, being the big old 'host of my power' probably makes you think you can break that little agreement-"**

 _Kurama, not now. I need-_

 **"Oh you need this, you need that! What about _my_ needs, kiddo! What I would do for a nice walk to stretch my legs after a few years of being cramped up in your God-forsaken stomach-"**

 _KURAMA-_

 **"No boy, I'm not having any of it! You've been fighting these guys without me and getting nowhere, you get to stretch your legs while I sit up in here. Well, you're not getting my tactical advice, no way. It's time you damn well use my power for once so I can at least stretch my muscles-"**

 _THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING! LEND ME SOME SPEED!_

 **"Oh, well,** the fox said, visibly embarrassed. **"I was just getting to that, wasn't I? Here."**

He felt his legs tingling with energy, more than he had had before. S no doubt saw this, the Sharingan he had, after all, could read chakra like a newspaper headline. The mask's jaws opened a bit, probably to give a taunt-

The next thing either of them knew, Naruto was inches from him, his fist drawn back to rip into his neck. S saw the attack and grabbed his wrist, but his broken arm prevented him from stopping his left hand-

 _CRACK._ S went spinning, still on two feet, while Naruto's knuckles bled. Skeleton steadied himself, his good hand reaching up to feel the mask. The chin segment fell away in one whole piece, exposing a real chin of flesh beneath it.

 _Well, at least we know for certain he's human._ He took another step forward, his sandal crunching loudly on the gravel. Skeleton stared at him, feeling the exposed skin with a gloved hand.

"I'm not afraid of you, Skeleton, or whatever your name really is."

"No?" The mocking tone again.

"No. You scared me when you attached at the ceremony, scared my village. I thought, while I lied in the hospital, that you were even invincible."

"I _am_ invincible-"

"You're not. You may have killed the two greatest Sages alive besides you and me, but I've also proved you are human, like me. You are a creature of this earth, and you can be stopped. You can be killed. I am no longer afraid to face you."

S smiled, faced him and adopted a combat pose. "Are you sure you aren't afraid? Do you want me to bomb your village again, take you all unprepared again?"

Naruto's steel gaze did not even twitch. "I am not afraid to fight you, Skeleton." And he meant it; Fukasaku's death had forced him to confront that he had once again been unable to stop his friends from dying. He was unsure if it was because of that small niche of fear he had for S, but whether or not that had been the reason, it did not matter. That shadow of fright was gone; he would not allow this man to hurt another person he cared about.

For a tense moment, they both stood there, ready to come to blow. But S broke his stance first, and Naruto could see irritation and frustration etched into his features. Frustration that Naruto was no longer a pushover. "You have a heart like an Uchiha," he bit out. "Your compassion for others rallies into strength and hate, though you have a firm grasp on that hate. I respect you for that. But..."

Once more, the skeletal face turned into a sinister leer. In the depths of the hollow eyes, red lights twinkled. "But, there are other ways to break a man. I will not cease hating you, Naruto Uzumaki, not until you are gone from your village and this life. People will continue to defend you, and they will die like the fools they are. I promise you that you will break, _Lord_ Seventh, and when you do, I will have won _everything._ "

Naruto watched as he slammed his palm into the ground, and then he was gone as he Reverse Summoned himself back to the Shinobi World. He looked at the broken and beaten massive toads who had finally sat themselves up to examine their wounds. He looked at Shima, who's grief would not end for the death of her husband for who knew how many years. He looked at himself, the dirty hands and burnt clothes of the man who was supposed to have stopped this from ever happening.

He took a few strides over to where S had been moments before, and stooped to pick up the piece of his broken mask. Snowy white color glanced off the Sun, and he clutched the piece hesitantly in his hands at first, then assuredly wrapped his hand around it.

S had promised to break him. But he no longer feared what he could do. He was human, and flawed, just like Naruto. If he thought he was so superior, that he could fight both him and Sasuke, and take away everything they had worked so hard to achieve...

 _I'll be waiting to show him how to really break a man._


	16. Chapter 14- The First Option

**XXX**

 **Sasuke, Takigakure**

Gingerly, he sat the body of the dead sensei in the back of the caravan wagon, gazed at it with despair. The other three bodies stacked up behind it did not encourage those who watched him. Team Two was now missing a member, a twelve-year old boy, and their sensei. They were being incorporated into Team Three for the time being, and they were to wrought with despair to say anything against it.

As one they began to move through the mountain pass, lighter for load. Sakura was holding hands with Sarada as they walked together. Captain Malandus and some of his men had gone ahead to Takigakure to alert them of what had happened, and to hopefully bring reinforcements back with them.

Sasuke walked alone a little ways behind the caravan, and stayed back there for a full three hours until Takigakure came into view and Sakura left Sarada with some of the genin to come talk to him.

"It was her, wasn't it? Konan?"

He looked at her, surprised. "You knew her?"

"When she attacked the village with Pain. And Naruto spoke about her pretty often for a while, how she was going back to Amegakure and how he wished she would stay with them to help fight the rest of Akatsuki." Her brow furrowed. "Lady Tsunade had said something of Amegakure being brought under the control of a female leader, but that their borders were still closed and they were keeping up with their isolation. I can't imagine it would have been anyone else _but_ Konan who could take that sort of authority in her village."

He nodded glumly, his jaw set. "She's not right," he burst out suddenly. "When I was bringing Hebi into Akatsuki, I recognized her power then, but it was softer, brighter somehow. The way Naruto described Pain to me was that he and Konan believed they were fighting for a just cause, and that's the impression I got too. She believed in Pain to an infinite extent; why, I don't know. But then she seemed so much... brighter."

"And now she's darker?"

"It's not herself that's dark, its just that she seems misguided." He closed his eyes, went quiet for a little bit. They walked in silence for a little longer, and the air seemed to grow a little humid; the waterfall spray from Takigakure, otherwise known as the Village of the Hidden Waterfall, was already hitting them. They would not have much more time alone, and he felt the need to tell Sakura what he was thinking.

Because he had respected what Konan had been and done, and the fact she had been turned away from that was like a spike through his neck; he could hold in the pain of what was befallen this once bright woman.

"I know my Sharingan were only meant to see chakra, but ever since I fought Naruto in the Valley of the End, its like they can see deeper into people, their true intentions. I don't know if its because I've seen both the dark and light of the shinobi world, but I could _see_ her. Whatever the man who saved her did to her, he did didn't save her. She's been enslaved to him... and it... it..."

She touched his cold hand, and her warmth spread through his arm. He looked at her and she at him. "It reminds you of what Obito did to you, doesn't it?" she murmured. "If you had been found by us instead of Obito after you had killed Itachi, it could have all ended there. Instead he took you from us and put you deeper into the darkness-"

Her voice broke, and the way her hand shook in his told him seeing him so aloof with his thoughts was worrying her more than Konan's change.

"Hey, enough of that," he said warmly, held her hand tighter. "You're the one who pulled me out of that. I just don't want what happened to me to happen to Konan. We'll bring her out of this, and stop the guy who's behind all this. I promise."

"Just hold me."

And he did, but almost as soon as he had wrapped an arm around of her, he heard the thudding of footsteps and the arm of comfort went to the hilt of Kusangi at his side.

It was a Takigakure shinobi, young and breathless. Further back, two more hung with equal frantic light in their eyes. His grip reflexively tightened around the hilt. "You didn't have to run over just to greet us," he joked, though he could already sense it was a useless gesture.

"Please, come quick!" gasped the one in front of them. "There is something happening- something... something you must see!"

 **XXX**

 **S, Blood Star HQ**

He fell out of the dimension travel on all fours, his whole body shivering. _I let him get too close,_ he reprimanded himself. _To overconfident. Patience in power leads to control of power, and I lacked the patience for a moment._ Breathing softly into the mask, he rubbed a gloved hand on his chin. The skin still bore the scars from long ago, and he dropped his hand into a fist and slammed it against the floor. Rage, familiar and strong, bubbled up inside him.

 _It did not go as planned, but things happen for a reason. It's a setback, but a small one. The Sage Masters are dead, and their Lands will not intrude in the coming conflict. The matter is now between the weak and the strong._

A door in front of him creaked open. He had landed in their main base, right on time as he had told his men. Konan would be waiting for him, no doubt. His anger faded as he imagined the success she would give him...

Gaping at his prophesied arrival, two guards with the tattoo of the white circle and red star in the center steeped into their arms held the door opened for him. He brushed past them without a word, heading deeper into the compound. He smiled tightly at the walls around him, the skeletal teeth shining despite the darkness. The irony of using the home ground his very enemy was an amusing irony for him.

Raised voices reached him from the twin set of oak doors before him, each imprinted with a musty whirpool symbol. They grew louder with each step, and he flung open the doors hard enough that they shook.

Silence descended onto the room. It was the old Debate Hall, with its granite altar still standing while their restored wooden benches all stood facing. The Hall contained only seven people: Konan, a simple soldier of his, and the five sensory types that he had asked to be present during his return. The Uzushiogakure Chakra Bowl had been placed before the altar, raised so that it would be level height with whoever stood behind it.

The soldier whirled to face him, his eyes going wide. "By the fire's below, he returned at the time he said," he whispered to no one in particular. "Lord, I-"

"Konan, what is the rabble doing here?" he asked her coldly, not even acknowledging the weaker man. "He is not supposed to be here. This requires careful timing."

The blue-haired woman kneeled before him, put her head low. "I failed, my Lord," she whispered to the ground. "I could not kill Sasuke Uchiha, as you had requested. He outmatched me, and I lost the men given to me. _This_ one here-" she jabbed her head at the soldier- "was shouting for me to step down and give someone else the position because of my inability to succeed. He doubted your faith in me-"

"My Lord, I would never-"gushed the soldier, but the skeletal mask turned to face him. The man had a moment to squeak out his fear before his open hand tilted sideways and struck him in the neck. The sensory shinobi gasped at the sudden disposal of their comrade, but S paid them no mind.

"Get up," he snarled at Konan. "Your failure has almost compromised the timing of this operation by inciting fools like this man to question the faith I put in you, and therefore their faith in me. Perhaps it should have been Drel I sent instead-"

"My Lord, please-"

" _I HAVE WAITED YEARS FOR THIS MOMENT,_ " he thundered. _"AND NOT YOU, NOT SASUKE UCHIHA, AND NOT NARUTO UZUMAKI WILL FORESTALL IT ANY LONGER."_

His voice died down, and he turned away from Konan, letting her weep on the ground. He had hoped she would stand beside him at this proud moment, the beginning of everything they had worked for. The men that served under him, he cared nothing for. They were simply pawns on the chessboard to be sacrificed as needed. But Konan, maybe even Drel...

 _Failure is only solved through punishment,_ he resolved himself. _Punishment warns against further failure. It is the only way._

He looked up at the roof, or rather, the shattered remains of the stained glass that had once been above them. The enemies of Uzushiogakure had done the best they could to reduce the former proud village to rubble, but miraculously the Debate Hall was one of the few buildings that had not collapsed in the decades since the ninja village's destruction. Above them should have been a dazzling display of the village's founders and, at the center of it all, the circular depiction of the blue and green earth.

The moon was almost above them. When it was directly above the Uzushiogakure Chakra Bowl, he would be able to reflect his communications off the glow of the moon to other Chakra Bowls of other shinobi villages, much like the plot of the Infinite Tsukuyomi had gone, albeit on much smaller scale.

The sensory shinobi surrounded the bowl, having their trembling arms outstretch toward the bowl, where they would manipulate the chakra into sending it to the other Chakra Bowls. All he had to do was initiate the Beginning.

A faint white glow fell above the bowl, and the water inside it began to ripple on its own accord. As one, the sensory types did a set of three hand signs.

He smiled, blotted out the quiet weeping behind him, and waited until he would begin his announcement.

"You may begin, gentlemen."

 **XXX**

 **C, Kumogakure**

It started as a warm day with cool air, the combination he loved. It allowed his mind to be at ease, take in the dullwork of filing papers away for the Raikage. His fresh young look had given way to middle-aged maturity, and the exciting adventures with the Fourth Raikage had given way to grueling paperwork and conferences with officials of other lands. Even though the nightmare of the purple specter from the events at the Kage Summit all those years ago still haunted him, he found himself day dreaming about the thrill, the excitement of battle...

But now the warm day had given way to a cooler night, and he was irritated that they had not finished the task at hand. Annoyed, he slapped a hand down on the cabinet he was sifting through.

"Uh, Captain C?" A fresher, excited voice sounded from behind him, he returned to the reality around him. He was not in the Land of Iron fighting Sasuke Uchiha and his cohorts, he was in the former office of the Fourth Raikage with a team of secretaries, who were busy moving the last of its important objects to the Fifth Raikage Darui's HQ.

 _If they're excited over finding another battle report-_ "What is it?"

"We found something, sir, and we're not sure what it is. Maybe you do, with your expertise? Maybe something from the war-?"

He brushed past the other, shaking his head. His reputation as a former combatant had spread to the new generation, who always seemed hungry for the fighting days of the past, the years of distrust between nations. _Like we need that again. Lord Fourth would throw a fit if his efforts went down the tube like that._

He walked up the old half-moon desk A had kept beneath the skylight in the roof, the last remaining piece of furniture in the big room besides some dusty cabinets. His entire team was huddled around something on the ground, and he found to his annoyance he couldn't even see they were so infatuated with it. "Move aside so I can examine it," he barked, and they all collectively jumped and scattered, looking at him with disgruntled eyes.

It was some sort of bowl, something he had seen in the back of A's office for many years but never used. He had never bothered to ask about what its purpose was, and seeing a cobweb fill its insides only added to the belief it was just some trinket of A's.

"Move it into storage, when A has recovered and returned, we'll let him decide what to do with it."

"So you don't know what it is?" the young man who had called him over asked, sounding downcast. C shrugged in reply but gave no verbal answer. There was, after all, the matter of finishing this damned job-

A faint humming sound reached his ears, almost unnoticeable at first. But his trained ear and sensory skills had taught him to be observant, and he stopped. The background conversation had not made a reappearance, either-

He made a full turn again. Something was happening to the bowl: the humming had grown louder, and now a glowing blue hue seemed to coming from it, though it had been empty save a cobweb just moments before-

With a start, he realized it was chakra. The secretaries had backed away, suddenly afraid of the unknown; an irony that was not lost him when they had been so curious only moments before. The blue glow had nearly illuminated the whole room now, and the chakra was just swimming around inside, as if in turmoil, trying to do something-

 _It's a Chakra Bowl,_ he realized, and he berated himself for having discarded it so easily. It was a relic of a past, the old way the Kages and heads of villages had communicated in the past, before technology had evolved enough for faster means of communication. In fact, the bowl was so outdated that he stopped beating himself for forgetting what it was; nobody alive would be using these anymore. However, he knew that every shinobi village leader still kept them around, though only to collect dust.

Until now.

 _But someone does want to use it, and they want to communicate._ He approached the broiling bowl, the hum now resonating in his skull with the unreleased power of the chakra broiling inside it. **"Water Style: Sensing Sphere."**

Cool water fell from his mouth into the bowl, and the chakra inside it leaped to the water as it came down. He poured more in, more and more, and the water finally began to take shape. A 3-D shape, slowly growing detailed. Clothing came first with the build of a strong and powerful man. The arms formed with hands clasped behind the humanoid, and then at last the head solidified, until a man from the torso up at his height was looking right at him.

But was it a man? C took an involuntary step back in surprise and momentary fear. The man before him wore a death mask, that of a skull. And it looked so _real_ , a primitive thing that nevertheless gave off a persona of great power.

And then the teeth parted, and gasps of shock came from some of the secretaries as the skeleton began to speak.

 _"Greetings, Leaders of the Five Great Nations and those of humbler countries. If you have already not recognized me from your own headlines and newscasts, allow me to reintroduce myself. You have decided to call me Skeleton because you believe me to be a deliverer of Death, and in some ways that is true. However, I ask you merely call me Lord S, the name I have chosen for_ myself. _"_

 _The terrorist that bombed Konohagakure?_ C thought wildly. _How did he gain access to this method of communication? Only village heads should have been able to gain access to it!_

 _"If you have not already decided to stop listening to me because I am a perceived 'terrorist,' then please, allow me to continue. I have something I would like to discuss with you all..."_

 **XXX**

 **Kurostuchi, Iwagakure**

She watched the skeletal face with unblinking eyes, her hands folded underneath her chin. Secretly, she was relieved this outlaw had interrupted the boring trade summit that had just been taking place, but as he spoke her grin of relief turned into a frown. Perhaps when she was younger she would have been naïve enough to just dismiss all the talking of the man, but as the Fourth Tsuchikage, she had grown mature enough to understand action did not always come first.

 _"Since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War, we have lived under a blanket called peace. It has nuzzled us all sufficiently, covered the continent. At least, this is what the Five Great Nations preach to you all. They have stuffed the smaller nations in their pockets like prizes, and have abused them as such. The so called security and order for they have created after the war is nothing more than a cleverly disguised lie."_

The Fourth clenched her fist on her lap. Sure, Iwagakure had helped itself to a removal of trade taxes in Takigakure and Kusagakure, but they had fed back into them vast quantities of marble from their mines. There could hardly be abuse there-

 _"I have come forth with two messages, one for the so called Five "Great" Nations, and one for their smaller counterparts. To the Kages, do you really think that by saving the lives of others that you have continued to save them by ruling over them with your 'greater power?' Did you really think that your rule would remain unchallenged? Your arrogance has blinded you, while you have grown fat and sluggish off the wealth you have reaped. Your youth thirst for combat, but have they tasted it? Could they stand up to a trained shinobi of your past. The peace you have created for yourselves has only weakened you, while the smaller nations, living in their impoverished lives, have been fighting and training from the day they were born to just stay alive."_

"Could it be true?" came a muttered voice from her left. "Have they really been training as hard as they would have in the past?"

"My son hasn't been on a mission in weeks; he has no real combat experience-"

"Quiet!" Kurostichi said aloud, and the worried side conversations faltered and died. The face continued to speak, and with every word her frown continued to grow.

 **XXX**

 **Lord Evast, Kusagakure**

 _"To you smaller nations, you have known the hardships yourselves. You do not need me to explain to you what you have already suffered. Everyday, trained shinobi leave you because you cannot offer them missions or even food to keep them alive. The Five Nations have thrown their scraps at you in hopes you will take them as gifts, not knowing if they were what you needed or not. You have great warriors kept in the dark, while the Five's warriors have all began slow and foolhardy. Tell me, do you think it is fair for such weak masters to continue having such power over you?"_

"No," whispered Evast. His aide shot him a look, then turned back to the Chakra Bowl with wide eyes.

 _"I have given you my messages, or rather, the truth of the world. The Five have hefted a shield of lies that I have whittled away at for years, and now they must finally lower their guard for the ugly truth behind it."_

 _"Now you may ask, what are you supposed to do with the truth? It is an answer that gnaws at the mind like a great beast, and like a beast, the truth must be fed. The lies of the Five must be answered for, should they not? I have bombed Konohagakure not as an act of random hate, but as a symbol to the rest of these down trodden nations that their rulers are weak. I have assaulted the Fourth Raikage and beaten him as well. The Leaf shinobi could not stop me. The Fourth Raikage couldn't stop me. Even the Seventh Hokage, the Hero of the Fourth War, could not stop me. What is there to fear from them?"_

"There is no more fear," whispered Evast. His eyes watched S with admiration, not fear. This charismatic man, appearing out of nowhere, had taken the initiative for them. It was like a beacon of light for his beleaguered nation. Evast could not stop the Iwagakure shinobi from using their elimination of trade taxes to reduce the price of lumber to almost zero, forcing Evast to sell them large amounts of woodland. He had not been able to stop Sungakure from taking a slice of their territory where some of their largest farms were, for a drought had dried out their own. He had not been able to even garner a voice in the upcoming Kage Summit, despite the arrival of the open-minded Naruto Uzumaki.

 _"Enough is enough, my friends. And yes, I address the Five as friends as well. I do not wish to spill more blood than necessary. I have concocted a very short, simple plan for the Five to adhere to..._

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara, Konohagakure**

 _"War is not what I want, but if you will not listen to me, then you will know it again, and this time it will be a Civil War, with your names written in the history books as its instigators."_

Shikamaru nodded grimly. _He knows how to use his words so well, eloquently. A crafty man with an army at his back is the worst possible scenario I imagined, and we got just that._

 _"With war comes three choices, but a knowledgeable commander only reveals the first two. However, I will not even give you the second choice, as I wish to show you I am a man of culture, with the best intentions at heart."_

 _"I give you the choice to submit."_

Beside him, Kakashi Hatake gave a grunt of distaste. "He's out of his mind."

"Not entirely," Shikamaru muttered. "It's not like we've been exactly generous with the other nations since the War, but we had to replenish our economies after the wartime exhaustion somehow. Right?"

"All I know is that whoever it is behind that mask, he's just giving us the icing of his cake." Kakashi's eyes narrowed at the talking, watery apparition. "His other two choices that he hasn't given us is what the real cake is."

 _"Submit to me, swear fealty, and we may build real peace without bloodshed. Except, for two people. The instigators of the shield of lies must be killed, brought to justice._ " The skeleton face actually grew angry, almost furious. A deep, pure hatred seemed to manifest and project from it, breaking its aura of calm. Shikamaru found himself leaning backwards.

 _"These instigators are none other than the heroes you have praised for years. Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha must bring themselves before me with the intention of surrender and knowing their just execution awaits them."_

"Okay, he's out of his mind," Shikamaru agreed, resisting the urge to laugh at S. How could he even begin to charge the world's saviours with such a ridiculous charge as creating these 'shield of lies?'

 _"Submit and offer these two to me, and there will be peace. Submit, and I will contact you next with open arms. Submit, and these two other options will never have to be revealed to you. You have two days, my friends. But after those two days, if you have not submitted..."_

A delicate pause. The skull smiled. _"Then this will be the last time you are friends. Two days."_ The skull lost its details, began to lose shape. The entire torso fell back into the chakra bowl with a _slosh_ as its chakra signal ended.

"Get sensory shinobi in here and find out where it came from," Shikamaru said immediately, jerking his head towards his aide. The other nodded once and went out swiftly, leaving behind the stench of his nervous sweat.

"Kakashi, do you believe anything this guy has said?"Shikamaru asked the former Kage. "He bombed us once, but we'd be ready to catch him a second time. But a widespread revolution is basically what he's suggesting, do you think some will listen?"

The other had closed his eyes, deep in thought. After an eternity, he opened them and looked at Shikamaru, and the the Nara clan descendant remembered that same tiredness he had seen in himself when the Fourth War had begun.

"I'm not sure what he's suggested, and I'm not sure what he really wants. What I do know is two things. One, he wants Naruto and Sasuke, and he wants them badly. He could have asked for the other Kage to surrender; they're the real ones behind this 'shield' he's blabbed about, yet he did not ask for them. He sounds sincere, but if he is, he's not even after real justice, he's just eliminating his most potent threats."

"And the second thing?"

The tiredness grew more pronounced. "And the second thing is that, whether he knows it or not, Lord S has just declared the Fifth Shinobi World War."

 **XXX**

 **So this is where I'm going to draw the half point in the story for now; college starts for me in two days and gonna need to get back into the flow of things. Sometime in late February I'll start writing again and finish this story, and I'll also start to write a "Tale of Nagato and Konan" somewhere in there, too.**

 **Thanks a lot for all your reviews, follows, and favorites, like I say every time they really help give the inspiration to write. Hope you've liked this story so far specifically, I've put as much thought as I can into it to make it exciting and flow well.**

 **So for now, hope you all have a good February!**


	17. Chapter 15- Big Day

**Since it's been sometime, I'll give a small recap on what's happened and where's everyone's at:**

The Hokage Ceremony for **Naruto Uzumaki** is interrupted when a mysterious man only known as **S** and his cohorts attacks Konohagakure and destroys the Hokage Monument. Naruto begins seeking information on who this new enemy may be, leaving the village in the hands of **Shikamaru Nara** , while **Sasuke, Sakura and Sarada Uchiha** go to Takigakure to put an end to the growing problem of the **Universal Voice Movement,** a peaceful but assertive organization trying to give smaller nations a voice in the upcoming **Kage Summit.** Naruto arrives at Mount Myoboku only to have S kill the Toad Sage **Fukasaku** to eliminate challenges to his power, while Sasuke and Sakura discover that **Konan** , once the feared Pain's right hand, is for some reason working with S to uproot the Five Great Nations. With all of our heroes separated, S has given a list of demands to every nation leader on the continent that threatens everything the Way of the Shinobi stands for.

 **And now we can continue with the story, hope you continue to enjoy it!**

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke, Takigakure**

Before the chakra signal had completely faded and the water had sloshed back into the bowl, the assembled high-rank shinobi and their leaders had already begun discussing frantically amongst themselves what this message meant to them.

They had been rushed in as the chakra bowl's contents began to take shape, and he and Sakura had listened silently as S gave his speech and left behind his slight threat.

Now the two of them stood against the wall, though he was much more quiet. While S's words had very much disturbed him, the fight with Konan was still very fresh in his mind, so for now he tuned out the hushed conversations and thought about what could have turned Konan against them all so badly.

Sakura was against the wall too, but she was talking to someone he could not see. Her voice was tough, the tone she took whenever she was tense and trying to get a point across. Her way with words had improved over the years with guidance from Tsunade; it was how she had been able to take Naruto's place as an envoy without much complaint.

He looked over at the empty door frame to his left. He could hear the distant roaring of Takigakure's majestic waterfall, but also the voices of the Konoha's sensei's trying to comfort their humbled genin. He brushed some loose hair from his face, trying to focus his attention elsewhere.

There wasn't much he could do, now. He couldn't afford to leave Sakura and Sarada alone after what had happened, no matter how much he wanted to pursue Konan and S. There was no way to communicate to Naruto; his entire chakra signature was gone, meaning he was probably in the Toad dimension. He was, out here, in potentially enemy territory, with no one he could trust.

Distantly, he wondered if this was how the Leaf had felt when Pain had attacked. The chaos of the attack had been terrific, coordination between units had been good but the thought of a traitor letting in Amegakure had persisted, and a handful of shinobi had turned on each other. And again, during the Fourth War, the Zetsu had made discerning friend from foe nearly impossible. While there wasn't war yet, he could already feel a foreboding of being able to trust only his family and closest friends.

Naruto was far too trusting, he'd deduced that before and while he believed in Naruto more than ever before, the fres Hokage would need to learn to keep only an inner circle close. Only those who had been fighting for the village from the start…

Who had been fighting for it during both wars…

Sakura was still talking, she would take care of herself for the time being. He stepped forward to one of the Takigakure senior shinobi, tapped him on the shoulder.

"Yes, Lord Sasuke?"

"I need to get a message through to the acting Hokage, Shikamaru. Effective immediately."

The other shrugged. "We'll do what we can. As you might've guessed, our current communication channels are a bit busy, so it may take some time-"

"A phone? Something quick, this'll only take a minute."

His eyes flickered with mild anger, but it faded quickly. "We don't _have_ phones in Taigakure, nor any form of electrical development that you Leaf shinobi have. You'll have to abide by traditional forms."

He grunted his affirmative, then took his place back against the wall.

He could only imagine what might be happening at Konohagakure, and he didn't like one thought that crossed his mind. The only thing that bolstered his mood was that he knew Shikamaru was in control.

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru, Hokage Office**

They had been unable to trace the source of the signal, not any of the three sensory shinobi could locate its origin. S had covered up his tracks effectively, but Ino, whom he knew always had a trick up her sleeve, claimed that if he communicated again, she would be able to perform a reverse chakra tracking that could give the exact place of origin.

But until then, they could do nothing but wait and discuss what it all meant. And the answers we're not at all happy.

He sat unhappily through a conference with the Elders, who told him to try to keep the entire event hushed up. Then he met with A, almost fully recovered from her earlier surgery and who would be returning to Kumogakure, who told him he should address the public before the news leaked out through other means.

So two nights after S had given his foreboding speech, he sat alone behind the Kage's desk while everyone went home, sifting through the mess of letters from the other Kages who were asking for either his thoughts on the matter or asking where Naruto was.

With disgust, he set down a letter from Lord Evast of Kusagakure, who had sent him a copied letter that he had assumed was being sent to all nation leaders, detailing how the Land of Grass was withdrawing from all trade agreements and ending any treaties made with the Five Great Nations.

 _He's the first, and he certainly won't be the last,_ Shikamaru thought with irritation. _The question is, when will they withdraw, and what will they do when they_ do _leave the international scene? Kusagakure at least hasn't made their plans openly known, but it seems Evast has bought into S's scheme._

The grieving letter was on top of the Manager of the Southern Quadrant's electrical layout, which he hadn't even begun to study-

He exhaled slowly. _Relax, relax. Patience is what we need right now._ He stood up to leave, deciding to tackle the messages tomorrow. He opened the door-

And hit Mirai Sarutobi head first, causing him to see stars. His hand groped for support and he steadied himself against the door. "M-Mirai? Can I do something for you?"

She seemed heavily startled to see him, and so he waited for her to respond, looking her up and down. When she had been a lot younger, he had often taken her out to go eat at Asuma's favorite diner, and when she had been made a chunin had given her Asuma's custom knives. It was the least he could do to nurture his deceased sensei's daughter, and had come to look to her as something like a younger sister.

But recently she had become withdrawn, sullen and silent. He could not decipher what had brought the change, assumed it was just her hormones acting up as she matured. She was, after all, in the thick of her teenage years. But her dedication to the village hadn't wavered; though still a chunin, she had been been placed strong enough to be an attendant at some Inner-Jonin Council meetings.

"I was patrolling the area," she murmured, steadying herself. "I was going to check the Hokage office as well."

His eyebrows rose. "I didn't know you'd been placed in this area! I thought the Kage's office was a jonin-patrolled area only." He smiled at her jokingly, put a finger to his lips as if in deep thought. "Can I guess Kurenai stretched the rules for you a little?"

Mirai was quiet a moment, then her face almost unwillingly broke into a smile. "Yeah, you know how Mom is. I just come around every once in a while for added security. After all, you were there when Naruto told us to help keep the village safe."

He nodded in agreement as he remembered. "Alright, well I'm just clearing out now, so feel free to check the room out. But I'm telling Kuranai how dedicated you've become to your nightly routine!" The last part came off jokingly, but Mirai's smile almost melted away.

Almost, but it clung on as if with a mind of its own.

"Oh, don't bother her with the news," she said loftily. "Then I'll just get scolded about how late I'm staying up, and I don't need more stress when I'm trying to become a better shinobi still."

He hesitated, then laughed. _Something's not right, she's hiding something. But I'll ask for another time._ "Don't stay up too late," he said instead, began walking away.

"Bye, Uncle Shikamaru." He heard the door close instantly afterwards, and again he hesitated. Mirari wasn't what he called ambitious, but her insistence in larger matters had been prominent lately. She had to be focusing on her training, but that didn't seem the case.

 _Maybe she's trying to learn about things on S herself,_ he thought wryly. It sounded like something he would have done, when he was more naive. _But if she knows something, then she needs to tell me, or Naruto when he returns. Maybe that' what she's been so anxious…_

He turned around and began was about to open the doors himself when he heard papers being rustled. Could she really be so intent on finding out the truth she would go through official documents?

 _That's out of line._ "Mirai," he called, opening the door as he spoke up. "You need to talk to me if there's something-"

He paused. Mirai wasn't at his desk, she was looking at an orders sheet while she looked out the window. She had a kunai in her hand, looking ready to throw it. However, she relaxed and she took him in. "I thought it was an intruder," she breathed, sheathing the kunai. "Sorry, I sort of just… lost myself looking out over the village."

"It's fine," he said, feeling embarrassed for having thought so wrongly about her. "But, is there something troubling you? Anything at all? You know you can talk to me."

Her hand clutched the orders sheet tighter. "No, Uncle. I'm just stressed because of what's been going on."

"Alright. Have a good rest of the night." His eyes fell to the desk out of random, and he noticed that the Southern Quadrant layout was visible. For a moment, regret flooded him for not have answering the hapless manager's plea, but then he realized the letter had been moved aside-

"Is it true, what Evast is going to do?" she asked, her voice slightly trembling. "I can't believe he would break off relations with us so easily."

Again, he calmed himself. She had been snooping, yes, but at least she had fessed up to it. He wondered if she had seen his line of sight, but he tossed the image aside. Mirai wouldn't lie to him.

"Everyone's scared because of what Skeleton is saying," he said carefully, knowing she would not know of his earlier message. "He just wants to scare us, why I don't know. But we'll figure it out sooner or later, and then we'll stop him, I promise." He put as much meaning as he could into the last few words. "I'll never let anyone hurt you or your mother."

Mirai's bottom lip trembled, and he realized she was on the verge of tears. He began to open up his arms for her, but she waved him away. "Just have a good rest, Uncle Shikamaru," she gasped softly, and then she turned back to the window.

For the third time, he hesitated. The conflict to help her or let her recollect herself-

 _She can't always have me be by her side,_ he thought unhappily. _She has to make her own decisions and control her own emotions. If she wants to recollect herself now, then she will._

"Good night, Mirai."

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint, Outlaw Man Diner in Konohagakure**

When the last of the diner guests had finished their meals and drinks and happily staggered out of the building, with a smiling Dent waving them away, they locked the doors and dimmed the lights.

Flint dropped the dishes he had been washing and wandered over to the electrical closet, where he had to stop before he fell into the gutted floor. They had peeled it away efficiently and without any harm to the hurricane of rainbow wiring beneath it.

He jumped down into the man sized hole, where Romaji had carefully adjusted the wiring so that the access tunnel could actually fit people again-

 _Progress takes its sweet time,_ he thought wryly as he pushed his way through the mess of rubber wire. At the end of it, he could see Romaji flashing light on and on, giving him the signal something was wrong, much like last time-

The fool from the Southern Quadrant had reacted swiftly when they had accidentally caused a malfunction in their digging. The news report he had read had delighted him, and what he had perceived as a dreaded error had acted as a wonderful experiment.

 _Darkness is our ally. When the lights go off, chaos can reign._ Still, they had to be careful. No one had bothered to check into the disappearance of the hapless worker- he was stuffed into a crevice in the tunnels, where no one would find him. His arrival had been unwanted and intrusive, but it was only a small delay-

He reached Romaji, and immediately saw the problem. The access tunnel split into two separate directions, and with a hiss of breath he looked to the left. It curved back into the direction they needed, but there was no guarantee. The other tunnel went straight out into the right.

"We need to test power fluctuations again, see if it trails left or right," Romaji breathed in the congested air. "But even that won't tell us for certain which way we need to go."

Flint grabbed the rubber wiring, not replying for the moment. The power _hummed_ through his fingers, and he put his chakra into the micro-electrical currents. It split into two separate directions, he couldn't decipher which-

"We can't be delayed like this," Romaji hissed. "The strike team is counting on us to get this done with a week left, and if we dig in the wrong direction-"

"Shut up," he cut him off calmly. "We'll find the right direction-"

"This is riding on the strike team will even _be_ ready," the other said distastefully. "Half of them are just mongrels, if we actually manage to do this and they're not even ready-"

"Are you doubting Lord S?" Flint asked coolly, taking his hand off the wiring. "We all saw the message he broadcasted to the nation leaders, everything is in motion. Konohagakure is going to fall, and our part to play in it is instrumental. Don't start losing hope now. Think of the benefits for our people." _My son,_ he thought silently to himself, and he concentrated harder into the wiring, trying to find where the power flowed.

Romaji opened his mouth, closed it. "I only want this to be success," he murmured. "I just keep thinking someone is going to walk in on us, and then everything will be ruined. And that Drel fellow, he's not much better than any of the men who joined the Cause. Did S really place the right man in charge?"

A steep electrical current ran beneath the rubber layer, and Flint's grip reflexively tightened. _To the right…?_

"Flint," Romaji suddenly hissed. "You hear that?"

His ears had picked it up, alright. The sound of metal on metal- Dent had thrown a wrench into the access tunnel. That meant-

"Work on the right tunnel," he said with a smile. "It looks like our little helper has arrived with some more information for us. I'll be back to help later on."

"And then we will be just that much closer to victory."

XXX

 **Todo, Impact Crater above Hokage Monument**

The man before him trembled slightly, eyes open and unblinking. The dirty fingers curled and uncurled nervously, as if he wasn't sure what to do with them.

His own hands were held firmly at his sides, and he stood stock still, as he often liked to now. "I was told you had doubts about the big day?"

The man looked behind him briefly. The other who had reported him was being dragged out the room by one of the few who now totally agreed with his way now. Eyes wide, the accused turned to face him again, looked into his own dark eyes.

Of course, the man who had told on him had to be killed, a brother did not turn on a brother; it was logical he should die. But this man still had to die, he doubted him, doubted S, but mainly doubted him, and he couldn't have that, no not at all!

"Do you not like the changes brought?"

"We were told to wait for the espionage team to complete their mission before we went in," the accused said meekly. "That was Lord S's direct orders, we all heard it-

"And now Lord S isn't here, and so we must function without him," Todo declared. "His plan was full of errors, uncountable, uncountable, uncountable, uncountable…"

Perplexed, the man grew even more uncomfortable. Todo stopped, studied him. He was a prisoner who had had a death sentence placed on him for the murder of his team. _Now_ , Todo thought with morbid amusement, _that death sentence can be carried out! Wait until I tell the authorities- after I've killed them of course._

"My plan is absolute and unstoppable," Todo said aloud slowly. "Lord S' was not up to the task of handling steep changes-"

"What changes?" the former prisoner bleated. "We've been living down here with no communication for days! There _have_ been no changes!"

"Oh, but there has," Todo whispered. He brought a thick hand to his temple. Yes, the change was here. The Kotoamatsukami, he was certain, had gifted him even more so than in the past. It had hurt at first, had brought back the same obedience from before. But it had expanded, had expanded so well! If only the others could see, could experience-

The ones he had thought to be the most unstable, the most violent, the most unusable, their function had now presented itself to him. They had flocked to him when he announced the new plan. They would rain death upon Konohagakure without the espionage team's plan-

 _But wait, wasn't that what S had wanted? Wasn't that the_ plan _-_

Slowly, the two halves of his mind, one uncorrupted and the other still filled with the mingled thoughts S had so forcefully plugged into his mind, shakily stabalized. Two full minutes passed as he stood in silent thought, staring into nothing.

The guards, the most depraved of the prisoners taken into S's Cause did not see anything out of the ordinary. The hapless former convict, however, was plainly disturbed, and in the middle of the second minute he began to edge away, out the door.

When he was close to being out of the door, Todo snapped out of the trance and in two seconds had crossed the room and decapitated the other. "Where did you think you were going, huh?" Todo shouted at the body. "THERE IS NO LEAVING HERE, OR ME! OBEDIENCE!"

He whirled to his guards, talked plainly without any trace of the fury he had had a moment before.

"Change of plans, gentlemen. We shall wait for espionage team's signal after all. No buts!" he said more strongly when a few groans escaped their lips. "No, the bloodshed will come, but Lord S has commanded us to wait for their signal, and so we shall. A combination of both plans- why, I can think of nothing better than compromise! Except, of course, in killing."

The men agreed. "Now, leave me," he ordered in a ragged impersonation of Lord S's own firm tone. "I am very tired, and tomorrow is a big day!"

Of course, there was no big day tomorrow, just another day of restless waiting. Nevertheless, the men left him alone, and he closed his eyes and dreamed of slaughtering shinobi after shinobi in the flames of the Leaf Village, and at the end of it all, claiming the bloodstained skull for his own face.


	18. Chapter 16- Homecoming

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

After making sure Gamakichi and the Chief Toad would be cared for, after having made sure the giant serpent S had left behind was to be imprisoned well, after giving a final farewell to a silent Shima and motionless Fukusaku-

The first and only tear finally left his eye; he had wanted to remain strong not only for Shima, but for himself. But as he finally left Mount Myoboku and found himself on a grassy hill back in the World, he finally let himself have a moment of grief. Fukusaku- it seemed too disrespectful, too childish to call him Geezer Sage anymore- had helped him become what he was today, had helped him avenge Jiraiya sensei. When he had arrived today, he had _never_ expected for this to happen.

Now he saw what his predecessors had gone through, what his own father, the Fourth Hokage, must have felt when he had to fight Obito instead of help the village, what the Third Hokage must have felt when Orochimaru attacked when Naruto was a mere genin.

 _You may be strong, you may even be the strongest, but you can't protect everyone._

And in that, the dream he had held as a child died. The Fourth Shinobi War had weakened it, but at least then they had won, and there was rejoicing to be held. He had not been alone then. Here he was, the Hokage, with the respect he had sought for during all his younger years, and he had failed.

The dream was dead, and so as he sat on the grass of the hill overlooking the lush forests and plains before him and contemplated his inner rage, grief, and sense of justice, it suddenly occurred to him that deep inside he had always known he could not protect everyone. In the Forest of Death, he could not stop Orochimaru from attacking Sasuke. He had not been top save Sasuke when he first left, nor had he been able to save Gaara when Akatsuki came gunning for him.

 _That dream was child's play,_ he thought to himself with mild distaste. _And I still held onto it like a little kid. I have to have faith in others, I can't be holding their hand. S was able to scare me because he threatened everyone, and I didn't think they would be able to stand up to him. S certainly seems to think that way- he knew by threatening everyone in the village, I would be vulnerable._

He stood up. He knew what had to be done, at least for now. He may have realized the truth, but S was too bent, he would not understand. He would continue to attack the village thinking it would harm him, the Seventh Hokage, because it was a Hokage's duty to serve his people.

The dream was dead, but it had always been dead. He had confronted it and acknowledged it, and now he would build a new one.

He could almost hear Jiraiya sighing with relief. _Finally, he's growing up._

 **XXX**

In the next morning, the two guards stationed at the Main Gate we're in a classic dispute over who was better, as usual. They were so drawn in too who had hit the most bullseyes on the targets from yesterday they almost didn't notice Naruto's approach until he was practically in front of them.

Izumo paused mid sentence, drew himself up. "'Scuse me, do you have permission to enter the village?"

He blinked, looked at his filthy clothes, imagined how his blonde hair was a ruffled, gritty mess. He hardly looked like an honorable Kage now.

With some embarrassment, he replied, "Uh, Izumo… it's, uh, me. Naruto."

Both of the guard's faces went deep red as they recognized his voice. "Jeez, wellI, uh," Izumo fumbled.

"Sorry for holding up your return, Lord Hokage," Kotestu saved his friend quickly. "It's good to have you back to lead us again. There's… a lot that's happened."

An ugly knot tightened in the pits of his stomach. Hunger was gnawing at him, and for a moment he wished he wasn't Hokage with these responsibilities, so he could just go eat ramen.

 _But there are better reasons not to be a leader._ The guards opened the gates for him, and he walked down the middle of the street straight for the Hokage Office. However, his journey didn't go unnoticed. Keener eyes that Izumo's and Kotestu's found him, and a flock of children fell in behind him, cheering his name.

"He's back, he's back, he's back-"

Sweat ran from the roots of his hair, and the day was not even hot. His legs ached from the journey from the hill, the nonstop walk, and their voices seemed to only weigh him down more. Some adults we're joining in now, too, acknowledging his return. He thought he heard the voices of Choji and Ino in the crowd, but he did not pause. He couldn't do this, in front of all these people who we'r depending on him-

He took a sharp left, away from the Office. The crowd veered to join him, too ecstatic so stop. It was large, too large, it was the Hokage Ceremony all over again-

 _These people, I can't let them be hurt again, because of me. They cheer my name and because of it S wants to kill them all, I can't let this HAPPEN-_

The voices followed him until he finally reached his humble home in the Southern Quadrant. Hinata was outside, as beautiful as ever in a simple purple gown, her arms on the shoulders of Himawari, his only daughter. She had obviously heard the cheers getting closer, and her face, even from a distant, was tight with concern. He put on a strained smile, hoping she would understand, and her features softened artificially. She ran up to hug him, and the cheers resounded even better.

"Look how well they are together, the Hokage has such a loving wife-"

They met midway and suddenly he felt unbearably tired. He nearly collapsed onto her, his face resting into her shoulder. "We need to talk," he mumbled unceremoniously into the purple cloth. She tightened a hand around his head and led him inside. The crowd's voices dimmed as the door shut, but he knew they were still out there, waiting for him to come out again, maybe even desperately wanting him too-

"What… happened while I was gone," he breathed as she sat him down on a soft sofa. She immediately went back to fixing up tea for him.

"Himawari, go play upstairs," she told her daughter softly.

"But papa's home!" she retorted. "I haven't see him in forever!"

"Himawari, please!" Hinata ordered more sharply. Their daughter gave them both a pouting face, then stomped upstairs.

"I'll be up to see you later!' Naruto called up after, but he got no response. He turned back to Hinata, and found himself almost watery with relief to be just alone with her again.

"Where did you go?" she asked him tautly, still making the tea.

"Mount Myoboku," he answered, not understanding her tone. "I needed to see Fukasaku, to talk to him about S-"

"And you didn't _tell_ us?" she slammed the kettle down and it shattered. , and suddenly she was crying from the pain of the hot water splashed on her and the contained emotions she had held for the past few days. He was up in an instant, and pain flared through his exhausted legs, but he managed to stumble over to her.

"Hinata-"

"You left me alone with Boruto and Himawari without telling us a word," she choked. "I thought you were safe, I know you- but Boruto, Himawari, they don't know you like I did. They didn't have the confidence you were safe; Boruto even said you were just running away from your problems. I couldn't convince either of them, and just hearing it over and over again-"

He held her in his arms for a while, and eventually she calmed down. Evening was falling, and he flicked the switch for the lights on their hanging chandelier. For a moment, they flickered on, then stayed off. He tried again, and this time they stayed on.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said to her softly, playfully acknowledging the term Hamura Otsutsuki had used for her during the Moon Crisis. "I… I didn't want you to worry about me, I wanted to keep things a secret."

"Even from your own loved ones?" her voice was bitter, and she pulled away from in to go back to the sofa. "If you couldn't trust us with your whereabouts, who can you trust?"

The age old question stung him, and he leaned against the counter for support. "I was being stupid," he said quietly. "I just don't want any harm to come to you or the kids. They're so young, with so much potential, but they're not ready to fight. If S came after them for information… if he came after you… I could never lose any of you. If anything happened to you three, I… I don't want to know what I would do." _What I would become,_ he thought silently to himself. The ache of loneliness from his childness had nearly turned him into how Gaara was in his childhood. He could only imagine what would happen to him now if that loneliness returned.

She was calmer now, sitting on the couch, just looking at her hands. Again, he hobbled over and more or less fell to his knees in front of her. He took her hands in his, rubbed his thumb along them. "I could never lose any of you," he repeated. "I only want to keep you safe… keep _all_ of us safe."

"Naruto, you can't keep everyone safe, not anymore," she said sadly. "You have to have trust in us to take care of ourselves, just like we trust all of you to take care of yourself."

"That's what I've been telling myself, too," he replied grimly, and he stood up. "And I need to ask what you think of what I'm going to do tomorrow… but first, I need to what's happened while I was gone."

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

"Flint, Flint!"

He rolled out of his bunk, instantly alert. His personal kunai reflexively found its way into his hand, a ragged, sharp blade tinted blue from the diamond reinforcement put into it. The hilt was a small blue orb made of a very strong glass; a shimmering blue liquid filled it completely. Only three had ever been made in Takigakure, before the great blacksmith, his grandfather, Kiroshi had died while making the fourth. It had passed down to him, and this one was the only one left; the other two had vanished into history.

They had not made any progress tonight; the information brought to them by Lord S's helpful informat Source M had alerted them that the Hokage's little puppet had been notified of the power fluctuations. They needed to lie low for a little, halt the effects for now, until it was safe to do so.

"Dent?"

"Get a load of this!"

Flint walked into the main dining area of the Outlaw Man Diner, to where Romaji was looking out the window. Dent pointed out. "Remember that crowd we saw thundering through the area a few hours back?"

Oh yes, he remembered. His heart had almost stopped, wildly thinking they had come to question the Outlaw Man Diner about tampering with their electricity. "What about it?"

"Romaji just realized where they ended up. The new Hokage's home."

A grimace found its way to his face. "Oh, terrific. Last thing we needed was him digging around in addition to that brainiac puppet."

"Flint, this is the perfect chance to hit two birds with one stone. Test the plan… and get rid of him for Lord S."

He opened his mouth to argue, closed it. Lord S wanted the fresh-faced Hokage dead, that much had been made very clear. And they still had only tried blacking out the city, not the other crucial bit the plan needed. He rolled his hand over the hilt of his kunai, stopping over the blue liquid the pommel held.

"We'll try it, then. Do we know which cabling runs into his house specifically?"

"Can't you _feel_ it?" Dent's impatience made his face flicker with annoyance.

"We have to be certain," Flint retorted. "Now, find me the right lines that run into the house, and we'll see just how strong the Hokage is."

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

He put his face in his hands and just sat there for a while, mulling over what it all meant. Once again, in a crucial moment of time for the entire village, he'd been absent. Now not only was Konoha in danger, but S had implicated all the Great Nations.

And he had asked for Sasuke, too. He hoped him and Sakura and Sarada were holding themselves well at Takigakure.

And it only made him feel that much worse about what he had to do.

Hinata sat beside him on the sofa, much calmer now. "You can't do this, Naruto," she said softly. "We all need you now, this isn't right-"

"If I do this, S should stop targeting the Great Nations for now," he replied shortly. "He wants Sasuke and I, and if we leave then he has nothing to attack Konoha specifically for. If he attacks without reason, he loses the support of the smaller nations he's trying to win over."

"He's already won some. Kusagakure recently removed all trade agreements with us, and has stationed border patrols more frequently."

He stood up, began pacing. Everything was moving too fast, there was no wiggle room in this situation-

 _When,_ he thought tiredly, _did we go from kicking ass to politics?_

"I need to sleep," he staid instead, yawning. "Maybe a good night's rest will give me the answers for tomorrow-"

The lights died as he stood up. "Oh not again," he grumbled, walking over to the switch again. "Don't tell me you guys deal with this every night?"

"It's never been this bad," Hinata said quizzically. "Maybe they're doing some tests?"

"Yeah," he said slowly. In the pits of his inner essence, he could feel Kurama snarling lowly _-_ "Maybe they're-"

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

He gripped the two rubber cables in both hands tightly, getting used to the electrical current. He closed his eyes, calmed himself.

 _Focus, this is why you were chosen for this mission. This is your purpose. For Takigakure, for S, for-_

His chakra flowed into the coords, mingled with the artificial electricity in them. He peeled off the rubber layer in a swift stroke of his kunai, and firmly grasped the live exposed wires underneath. Hundreds of volts of electricity raced through him, and for a moment it was almost more than his chakra could handle-

He regained control, did the hand signs. **"Lightning Style: Voltage Manipulation!"**

 **XXX**

His hand flicked the switch, and then suddenly the bulbs on the chandelier exploded, causing the beautiful metal arrangement to shatter. He yelped in surprise, then pain as a shard of glass rammed its way into his artificial arm.

Bulbs everywhere were exploding, and another small piece of glass found its way into his shoulder. He ripped both pieces free. Smoke was pouring out of the broken bulbs now, toxic chemicals spewing out-

Eyes watering, he fumbled for Hinata. Her pale face had a few streams of blood on it; the chandelier had been much closer to her, had hit her worse. She seemed too stunned by the disruption to move, so he hoisted her to her feet himself, began to drag her out of the room. The toxic smoke blinded him, he staggered about for the front door. It was mere feet away, but the tears streaming from his eyes made it seem like it was so far away-

 _MOVE!_ he commanded himself, and he barreled out the door. The wood splintered as his shoulder hit the door. The outside lighting blew up as soon as he was outside, and he did his best to shield Hinata from more glass. He felt more sharp pieces dig into his back and face, making him groan, but he pulled her forward. She was recovering, trying to whisper something to him.

"Hold on, princess," he said, trying to comfort her. "I'll put you on the street, then I'll get the authorities if no one already reported what's happening. Just stay calm for me."

"H-Himawari-"

 _Oh, no._ He rushed her to the street, then bolted back into the house-

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

"Flint, he's taken the Hyuga woman out into the street," Romaji reported. His voice grew dissapointed. "You didn't get _either_ of them-"

"I know, I could _feel_ them leave-"

"We can kidnap her, she'll be stunned by the chemical smoke," Dent said excitedly. "He's gone back into the house for his daughter, if we move quickly-"

"She's not a target," Flint said with a strained tone. "We're not going to harm more people than we need to, at least not right now. Besides, we don't know when he would emerge again, it's too risky."

Dent gave a snarl of frustration, went back to the window. He was perhaps the most angry of them all; his whole family had been killed in a border skirmish with Iwagakure some years ago, and Flint knew he would love nothing more than to cause harm to an enemy's family in turn-

"I can stall him from going upstairs," he grunted. "Grab the girl if you can, I'll keep her from escaping until you arrive. Then just grab her and bring her back."

Dent did not even bother replying; he was out the backdoor before he had finished speaking.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The smoke seemed to increase in density as soon as his foot had crossed the threshold. He took a deep breath of outside air before he went into the toxic area. Himawari, she was upstairs-

He fell, much to his confoundment. A cable, from one of the now exploded lamps, had magically ripped free if the lamp itself and wound itself around his ankle, the red and blue cables inside exposed-

"What the fu- AGH!" a current of electricity ran through his body; the cable was shocking him!

Beating aside the pain, he gripped the cable with a hand and ripped it away with brute strength. It ripped in two, and the segment ripped from the wall thrashed around like the tail of a lizard separated from the body.

The clean air in his lungs left him, and he struggled to his feet again as his eyes watered. "H-H-Himawari!" he shouted up the stairs, his arm reaching for support. It found the wall, and his body felt so heavy that he almost fell against it.

"Papa!" came a frightened voice from upstairs. "Papa, help, please!"

The terror in her voice invited renewed purpose into him, and he thundered up the stairs. The bulbs that would have lit up the stairway exploded at ankle height, ripping apart his sandals and making his feet bleed. Still, he forced himself up, though the frustration was as big as his pain right now. How could he fight his _house_ -?

His desperation was made even worse as from his own bedroom, four tendrils of blue and red wiring came out to meet him. "Not the TV too!" he groaned.

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

"I see lights, it looks like the authorities are arriving," Romaji reported testily. "Hurry up and kill him!"

"I'm running out of tools to do him with," Flint said in his strained voice. "I have the television's wiring as a last gambit to bind him up, but after that Dent better have the girl out the window-"

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

The wires wound themselves around both his wrists and ankles before he could move, moving with such a sureness and speed they must've been sentient-

 _Or whoever's controlling them has the best chakra control I've ever seen except for maybe Sakura-_

He groaned as once again electricity ran through him, lighting his insides up like a firecracker. He tugged against the bindings on his right wrist, but they held him firmly. His muscles were contracting and recoiling rapidly' his left leg gave out and he fell to a knee.

 _Come on, come on, what would they say if they found out you got killed by your own damn house-_

Himawari's terrified scream reached him. She needed him, needed him _now_.

He funneled his own chakra into the wiring, and it overwhelmed the controller's very quickly. Still, he resisted with all his strength, and Naruto had to apply more pressure. _You're good, whoever you are, but not as good as me this time!_

The colorful wiring went taut as he ran his own lightning chakra through it, back into the source, through the house and into the Quadrant powerhouse, and then through that-

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint**

"AGHHHHHHHH!" The electricity had _turned_ on him, it was lighting him up and he couldn't stop it. His whole body was on fire, it was more than he could handle-

Romaji drew his kunai through the wire, cutting the returning current. Flint fell forward onto his face, twitching, patches of skin blackened and charred. He had almost been cooked from the inside out.

"Flint?" Romaji asked worriedly, his voice somehow distant and in his ear. "Flint, they're almost to the house, what do we do?"

"Get Dent," he gasped. "Get him before they do."

 **XXX**

He rammed his shoulder against the door, and it fell to the floor with a thud. There was Himawari, backed into a corner. A small stream of blood ran down from her head, but otherwise she seemed unharmed. There was glass everywhere, the light bulbs had exploded.

"Himawari, let's go," he called to her. But she wasn't looking at him, her eyes were fixated on something to his right. He followed them-

Something thin and black went down past his eyes, and suddenly he was being choked by another cable. Except this time, he heard the harsh breathing of a man, knew this time it wasn't his house deciding to turn on him and his family.

And that made things _very_ easy.

He slammed his head back into the attacker, and the other reflexively released him. As he stumbled back, Naruto whirled and curled his left hand into a fist, then brought it into the others chest. The air left his lungs in an instant, and he went down to the floor, clutching his stomach.

"Surrender," Naruto told him coldly. "Or I'm going to kill you."

"Yeah, do it!" the other snarled back. "I have nothing to lose! Kill me!"

He was trying to goad him while his rage was fresh, but he relaxed himself. He really didn't want to kill this man; who knew what valuable information he had? Better to take him into custody and get some answers.

The man recovered quickly, and he leaped for the broken window. Naruto caught him by his ankle, forced him back into the room, where he landed on the floor with a loud _thud._ However, the attacker's hand snatched up the cable he had just tried to use to choke him-

"I really will kill you," Naruto warned, and this time he meant it. If he tried to hurt Himawari one more time, he would not hold back. He could hear voices downstairs, recognized one as Shikamaru's. He could hold him here, and they would get the answers they so desperately needed.

The man smiled at him, then stuck the live cable in his mouth.


	19. Chapter 17- Traditional Dilemmas

**XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Takigakure**

At first, he had expected them to hold them all hostage as bargaining chips, though he knew they would never be able to hold him or his family, not without a lot of them dying in the process. They were, however, shuttled into an isolated area on the second day, and he spent the day pacing back and forth across dusty wooden floors, with armed shinobi outside.

"Stop being so impatient," Sakura berated him while she watched Sarada chip away at a ragged wood plank with a fingernail. "We need to give them time to decide what to do; this is the biggest event in our history since Toneri. The whole continent is dividing apart…

"I'm not impatient," he replied calmly. "But I imagine they're going to use as hostages if Konogakaure pushes up against them. Our history with them has tested many times, and not always has it ended happily."

"I spoke with Shibiki, he'll win them over."

"Shibiki?"

"Don't you remember him? You and Naruto helped him stop his former sensei from getting the Hero Water all those years back. He's the leader of the village now."

He smiled back at the memory. _Simpler times, when we could just fight and solve our problems like that. Now we have to do things with pen and paper to make sure peace stays. Progress can be so boring sometimes._

The door to their room opened, and he tilted his head. A man in a flowing white robe with blue waterfalls etched into the side walked in; the designation of a village elder. He had escorted them to this room that morning, and had updated them on progress both times.

"Nothing has changed," he said lamely. "The opposition is between Shibiki and High Elder Doranger. Shibiki believes allying with the Great Nations is a wise move as he believes with Naruto Uzumaki they cannot be defeated, whereas Doranger believes Lord S holds a more realistic outlook. Both argue the same points with same conclusions, it goes nowhere-"

"Okay," Sasuke decided. " _Now_ I'm impatient. Take me to the meeting area, now."

"I cannot," the robed elder said stoutly. "It is against our traditions-"

I saved your village once, and now I'm going to save it again. This time from pure stupidity." He brushed past the man, and the elder gawked at him a moment before following.

"B-But you can't," he balbbered. "My duty is to inform you, not take you to them; it's against our traditions-"

"Your traditions are limiting you too severely," Sasuke said sharply. "Sometimes, traditions have to be given second place for the sake of progress. You're holding us like captives inside this little building with armed guards, not giving us a say in anything. Our own village doesn't know what's happened to us; I assume they're either busy with this like you or you've been intercepting their messages." He stopped and turned his head to stare right at the hapless older man. "We came here as diplomats, not soldiers," he reminded him. "So stop being so queasy and show me."

For a full minute the older man opened and closed his mouth several times, little squeaks of protest coming out. "I'll inform them of your arrival," he said at last, turning around quickly. "Go to the assembly hall, wait outside until I give you the O.K."

"Happy doing diplomacy," Sasuke said brightly to his shuddering back.

 **XXX**

 **Lord S, Blood Star HQ, in the village formerly known as Ushiokagure**

He sat laid back in his command chair, hands folded on his lap, alone in the Inner Sanctum that had once belonged to the Ushiogakure Village Head, and now served as his quarters.

Alone. And thinking, always thinking. Thinking about many things, like the letter of approvals from the Land of Bears and Snow, and actual villages joining the cause, like Kusagakure and Ishigakure. Lord Evast was a desperate fool, he could already tell, hoping he could give his nation new vigor by stopping the crippling trade agreements on his nation. And the shinobi from the Land of Stones we're only seeking to justify their strength; no real loyalty to the Cause, but their military strength would be very valuable.

But always thinking about Naruto Uzumaki. The desire to kill him, to wring him by the throat until he stopped breathing never left him. It was always there, like a cut that never fully closed.

Sometimes he tried to picture a world without the Seventh Hokage, and couldn't. But other times he could, and the future seemed very marvelous, indeed.

There were many possible futures, he knew. He could not see any of them, but he did not need, too. Any good strategist would know that, and that was why war only had three real options. He had given the blustering Great Nations the first ones, but he knew he would have to give them the second. Words alone was not going to win this.

Of course, he had planned to at least partially carry out the second option, even if they had all decided to submit to him. Vengeance would be very sweet-

The doors to the sanctum opened, and Konan walked in. She looked utterly miserable, and he resisted the impulse to apologize for how he had treated her when she arrived. He quickly capped the thought; such things were far behind him now.

"What is it, Konan?"

She knelt at the steps leading up to his chair. "News from Takigakure," she said slowly, staring at the floor. "They are in a severe debate on how to respond to the broadcast you gave, but our mole in the Elder Council says that Sasuke Uchiha is trying to get his way into the meeting."

"They let him go free?"

"No, he is coming out on his own accord. However, I believe if him and his wife went to the meeting, they would turn the tide in favor of the pro-Great Nations."

He mulled over it, feeling the skin on his chin. "Sasuke Uchiha… yes he would turn things around with his… aggressive negotiations. Takigakure shinobi are among the best; we cannot allow them to join the Great Nations, nor can we allow them to try to remain neutral."

"I will go, my Lord," Konan said, still looking down at the floor. No doubt she hoped to make up for her earlier failure, win back his faith in her… he said seen it, over and over again.

"No, I will journey there myself," he said instead. "You will remain here, Konan. There is no failure to repay this time. I will simply rectify the situation myself."

"Please," she stammered, getting up. "Allow me to go, I must… I need to…"

For a moment he thought her conviction to be forgiven was going to be a problem, but then he saw it in her eyes. Something in them was different, they seemed almost… unsure. He had not seen that look since the first day he found her; from then on she had always been dedicated to him, always confident in his will.

 _Did they do something to her, when they fought?_ he wondered. _What does she want to do, just kill them herself, or something more? But no, personal problems are not a concern right now. What is best for the Cause is, and I will do it as such._

"You will stay, disciple," he repeated in a far more commanding tone, and she instantly recognized defeated and bowed her head.

"As you wish, Lord S. Godspeed to you."

He brushed past her and out the door, thinking again of what she could want with the two friends of Naruto Uzumaki.

And then he went back to imagining a world with the Seventh Hokage dead.

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

"I've been waiting four hours for you to get me inside," Sasuke said with steel in his tone. "Do I have to really justify myself to you _again_?"

The same elder gave him the same exasperated look. "They refuse to cooperate and let you in! I have tried everything I can, but they do not understand!"

"Let me go in there," Sasuke growled. "I'll make sure they see I mean what I say."

The older man paled considerably. "That won't be necessary, I have an idea." He walked back inside the compound and dissapeared inside.

Sakura put a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't getting us anywhere," she murmured. "They'll only keep rejecting us if we keep trying to enter by force. We need to try and be more diplomatic about this."

"We tried being diplomatic when we first came, and they practically imprisoned us all."

Her eyebrows knitted together in frustration. "Well, we can't just go in guns blazing, then they'll for certain join Lord S!"

The situation was making him perplexed. "Stay here and think of something, alright?" he said gruffly. "I need to go for a walk, clear my head."

She waved him off with a smile. "I'll work out something, just hold on."

He tried to match it back, met it halfway. "I know you will, honey." He left the compound and Sakura behind, began walking. The whole village was a bunch of buildings in a massive circle surrounded in turn by natural mountain formations. At the center of the civilization was the massive tree that every few generations gave its miraculous Hero Water, the very source of the struggle that had drawn Team 7 here long ago.

Waterfall spray hit his nose, and he breathed in the fresh smell. He was walking, he realized, in the direction of the enormous waterfall itself. A group of children were there, in some sort of combat exercise. They paused as they saw him approach.

The tallest of them approached. "Who are you?" he demanded. "You're not from our village!"

"I'm… uh, visiting," he replied, which was true enough. "You guys are training?"

The boy drew himself up. "Of course, we're going to become the best shinobi in Takigakure," he stated proudly. "My father was one of the strongest ninja ever here, but I'm going to be even stronger than he was!"

"You have a good spirit," Sasuke agreed. "Where is your father, I bet I've met him before."

A ripple of some dark emotion rippled through the other children. The boy in front of him sagged his shoulders. "He… he left. I don't know where, but he… left."

"Left?" he echoed. "Shinobi just don't 'leave,' was he… killed?"

"No!" the boy snarled instantly. "He would never fall in combat, he's too strong. He just… disappeared one day, along with the other two members of his team. They were like uncles to me… they all taught me until they left. Wherever they are, though, I'm going to surprise them with how strong I've gotten!"

Sasuke gave him a tight smile. He had assumed the boy was trying to make a cover for his father being on a special mission of sorts, but he could see the pain of loneliness in his eyes. Beneath his iron words, there was honest confusion as to why his own parent would leave him…

"Who was your father?"

"Lord Shibiki said not to speak to strangers about sensitive things!" the boy said automatically, and he seemed almost embarrassed with himself. "I've given too much away to you, and I don't even know who you are!"

"Sorry for eating up your time," Sasuke said pleasantly. "Hope all your training progresses well!"

"Thank you," they all chorused, and then as one they all smacked their foreheads. "'Rule Three: Don't make friends with shinobi you don't know!'"

Sasuke walked away before he could make them mess up even more. His thoughts, however, were trailing to the boy's missing father. Something about it seemed to be calling him, like a distant danger alarm going off in his mind…

He stopped before the great tree in the center of the village. The water surrounding it lapped at his feet.

 _Takigakure shinobi have rarely gone rogue. There was Kakuzu of Akatsuki, and then Shibiki's old sensei, but they've been proud to say that no one else has ever left their village. And now_ three _of them have suddenly disappeared, without any warning?_

 _And they didn't tell us._ Suddenly, he knew how to get into the meeting. He sprinted back to Sakura, who he saw was talking again with the same elder.

"-could not persuade them, madame, my apologies," the old man was saying. "Perhaps I can try-"

Sasuke brushed past them oth without a word, and the elder gawked at him for a moment before following. "What are you doing?" he cried. "You can't walk in-"

"Your village has broken international code," Sasuke cut him off sharply. "This is now no longer us wanting to convince you who's side is right, now you are breaking the law."

"What the devil are you talking about?"

"A boy training by the waterfall told me his father and his team left without warning, and the look in his eye told me it was no special mission. They've gone rogue, haven't they?"

The elder struggled to keep up; they were almost to the doors. Sakura was trailing behind them both, smiling wryly up at him. He gave her a quick wink back, then turned his face to stone as the elder blocked the way into the compound.

"You cannot go inside!" he screeched.

"You are not going to break another law by stopping legal representatives from trying to do due process on Takigakure's mishandling of their shinobi; by not informing other villages of missing-nin, we have not been able to place them in our bingo books. They are silent threats in our society!"

"Well I, we were, I…"

Sasuke bodily pushed the elder out of the way, and the man stumbled a moment before something long and blue emerged from his hands-

In a flash, the Sword of Kusangi was in his hand and had met the aqua blue blade the elder was wielding; one of the Hiden Jutsu of Takigakure, the water blade.

"Not you're attacking me," Sasuke tutted. "Bad move." Before the older man could react, Sasuke's other hand had gripped both his wrists and was steering him around in a circle. The blue blade sliced near his ear in a desperate move, but he did not let go. The elder circled around him and as he heaved his whole body-

And then he let go, sending the old man through the entrance door.

There were thirteen people in the room, all sitting down at a large, polished table. The chakra bowl S had transmitted from was in the center of it, though he could tell it had not been used since S had communicated with them.

"Well, thanks for the invite," he said brightly. "How goes the meeting?"

The man at the end of the table stood up, and he recognized him as the one Sasuke had been talking to and the one he had fought alongside with many years ago, Shibiki. "Sasuke Uchiha, what are you doing here?" he demanded. "This is a closed conference!"

"Well I didn't feel like being left out while you imprisoned us in an isolated shack and decided our fate for us," he growled back. "Now, let's talk about-"

"Isolated shack?" Shibiki sounded confused. "What are you talking about?"

Sasuke kicked a foot out at the old man who had been going back and forth for him. "Your little friend here said we we're being held 'in comfort' while you all met."

"Um…" Shibiki gave him a shrug. "That wasn't any of us. Tradition has it during times of crisis the elders and high-ranking shinobi meet with the village head to discuss matters without any interruption, except by an appointed elder who runs the village in the meantime."

"So this bastard locked us away without _consent_?" Sasuke snarled. The fallen elder scrambled to his feet, raised his hands in defense.

But his face was deathly pale, in some sort of shock, as if he could see his own downfall rapidly approaching…

"Benedict?" Shibiki asked slowly. "Err... why did you lock away our diplomats from Konohagakure? They were to be kept in the new ambassador's quarters!"

"I… uh, well…"

"You could have started a war with Konohagakure you blithering idiot!" shouted a different man at the table. "What were you thinking in imprisoning _Sasuke Uchiha_ , one of the two who saved the world, when we were just finalizing the damned agreement for alliance!"

"Alliance?" Sakura spoke up. "You are going to ignore Lord S's demands?"

"Takigakure has always had warm ties with Konoha," Shibiki answered cheerfully. "We have stood by you in our continent's darkest times, why should not be any different? Lord S offers change, yes, but at the cost of destabilization for us all. However, before we reaffirm our allegiance, we do have one request."

"What's that?"

"We want in on the upcoming Kage Summit," he said simply. "Just allow myself and two guards to attend and lend a voice in it, and there are no problems."

"You aren't a Kage," Sasuke said flatly. "And your nation is not large enough to be considered having that large of a role in the continent for as big choices as the other Great Nations."

Shibiki's face reddened. "You think so lowly of our nation, when we think so highly of yours?" he asked bitterly. "Then perhaps what Lord S says is true, you _do_ just want to use us!"

"Just trust us to make the right decisions," Sasuke replied bluntly.

"Sasuke, why are you against this?" Sakura asked, puzzled. "This is what we came to do, to let them have a voice in the Summit!"

"Were they there during the Fourth Great War?" he replied. "Were they there when Toneri attacked? No, it was us. We saved them, we deserve control."

"It is as I said before, is it not, Lord Shibiki?"

Sasuke turned, his hand going for the hilt of Kusangi once more-

A hand was already resting on the hilt before his own had reached it. The voice was right in his ear now. "Good reflexes, but I'm still much faster than you," the voice gloated quietly in his ear, sending a shiver reflexively down his spine. "Put your hand down." He hesitated, then complied.

 _That voice..._

"Now, let's get down to business," the voice in his ear said pleasantly. "I already know Lord Shibiki, and representatives Sakura and Sasuke Uchiha, and of course you all by now seemed to know that Benedict here is really just an assistant in my matters here."

"You had a spy on the _elder_ council?" Shibiki asked, set aghast by this treachery.

"But of course, just because he's old doesn't mean he's immune to a good bribe. But, if it disturbs you so, I'll remove him for you."

The presence in his ear vanished, and suddenly the man was standing by the sickly yellow Benedict. In a split second, the newcomer had plunged his bare hand, fingers connected together like a spear, and plunged it into his chest. The traitorous elder had a moment to give a meek whimper before he collapsed.

Shaking the blood from his hand, the man turned to face them all. Sasuke recognized the mask from the chakra bowl, but a another chill ran through him as he gazed at him, wondering who could be behind the mask-

 _But his voice, where do I know that voice?_

"Ladies and gentlemen, you may call me Lord S. Now, I believe we had a dispute over which side you should join?"


	20. Chapter 18- Naruto's Decision

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Konohagakure**

The night went by in a blur. Between bewildered electricians examining the power lines, the paramedics uselessly trying to awaken the attacking shinobi, Hinata and Himawari going back to the Tsunade Hospital for minor treatments, and Shikamaru shouting come to him as he returned for the village in the first time in weeks, he decided enough was enough and dismissed everyone from his home so that could finally obtain some sleep.

Shikamaru was the last one out, and he glowered at him. "Come to the office, 9:00 A.M., got it?"

Naruto nodded blearily, then closed the door. He immediately sunk down to the floor, his back to the door, and he landed on the ruined carpet with a _thump_.

"Is it too much for even my _house_ to give me a break?" he asked aloud to no one. Everything had taken such an odd turn, and he knew what he had to tell Shikamaru tomorrow would not help his mood.

But some things just had to be done, and he had suffered worse.

Somehow, he fell asleep in the awkward position against the door, and his untrimmed blond hair fell over his eyes.

He dreamed of being at a tea party, with Himawari and a grumpy looking Boruto. Himawari's stuffed animals were all lined up in their chairs, and all of them looked at him with blank stares. He paid them no mind, and instead sipped some tea his daughter had poured for him. It was rather sewwt but he drank it to please her anyways.

Then Lord S walked into the room and took a seat.

Naruto looked at him questionably, then asked, "Did you want some tea?"

The death head shook its head and simply sat there, joining the stuffed animals in looking at him blankly. Naruto again paid it no mind, and instead scolded Boruto for wanting to leave.

"This is your sister's party, behave yourself. Don't you want to make her happy?"

Boruto folded his arms and stood up, but did not leave. Instead, he shoved one of the stuffed animals out of the way and took a seat right next to Lord S. As he did so, a long, cloaked arm stretched out and placed its hand on his shoulders. Naruto saw the bones, and looked up to see S smiling at him now.

"Get your hand off my son."

"Naruto, don't you want to make us all happy?"

"I'm not going to tell you again."

"Naruto, make us all happy. You know what you must do."

Himawari spoke up. "Don't do it, papa!"

"Baby, I have to," Naruto said, his voice taut with concern. Boruto had adopted the blank stare of the stuffed animals, and now looked at him stiffly.

"You cannot make everyone happy if you keep doing it this way," S said smoothly. "But if you do it _my_ way, then everyone is happy. You know what you must do." The hand gripped Boruto's shoulder tightly, and his son suddenly came too.

"Dad, help me!"

"Make _me_ happy, Naruto. Or I will hurt your family. I will hurt your friends. I will hurt your village."

A shadow was growing over the tea table. The stuffed animals faced, he realized, we're that of his friends. Shikamaru, Choji, Shino, Sasuke, Sakura, even Neji and others, all of them had been looking at him blankly, but now they we're scared.

"Naruto, help us!"

"Don't let us suffer, _please_!"

" _DADDY_!"

 _"OLD MAN!"_

The shadow grew, swept over the puppets. Their faces dissolved back into the stuffed animal's blankness.

"Make me happy, Naruto. Or I will kill them all."

He stood up and tried to move, but his body was far to sluggish. The shadow swallowed up everyone, and then he was alone in the blackness.

Except for S. The skull mask smiled at him from all directions, no matter where he turned to look. For a moment the old fear threatened to take over him again, from when he had first bombed the Hokage Monument. The fear that Death itself worked against him, that it bore this horrible mask would kill everything he wanted to keep safe.

But then he looked at the chin, and he saw the color of lightly tanned skinned, and he remembered that this was just another man who wanted to do harm. He looked at the death mask head on, into the empty pits of its eye sockets.

"Who are you?" he asked it. "Who are you, really?"

"I am fear," it replied, and in its eye sockets the same red Sharingan appeared: the Kotoamatsukami eyes. It seemed to grow more menacing, but Naruto stood his ground.

"You aren't fear," he said confidently. "I'm not afraid of you. Who are you?"

The mask seemed to shiver loosely on its owner's face. "I am Death," it said to him, more forcefully. "I will kill everyone you care about, just watch!"

"I won't let you. Your threats don't frighten me, either. I can beat you. _Who are you_?"

There was no mistake; the mask shivered like a separate being on its face, and this time the Sharingan faded from the eye sockets, and different eyes appeared before him: blue, with a hidden softness; they now bore an artificial iciness.

"I will you kill you," the mask tried, one more time.

"No, I'll kill you," Naruto said with steel in his voice, and this time he lifted a hand to the mask and tried to wrench it free. The mask's owner did not even try to stop him, it seemed almost willing to let it peel away-

The first rays of sunlight in reality struck his face, and he awoke against the door, sweating. It took him a few moments to realize it had all been a bizarre nightmare, it had all seemed to horrifyingly realistic to him.

 _And I almost got a look under that mask... he can't stay hidden under that thing forever, but will it be to late when we do finally realize who it is?_

 **XXX**

 **S, Takigakure**

He awoke with a start, on the quaint cot he had been given by Takigakure They had shakily given him room after he had walked in on the meeting, and had been pleased to see the Uchiha's thunderstruck by his almost casual entrance. They had been stunned into silence by his appearance, and offered no words as he walked into the room he had been given.

But he was no longer standing up in front of the Takigakure and the Uchiha. The mask was on the nightstand, and he was sweating in the cold air. He never had dreams like these, never-

 _Did he really just…_

He moved into a sitting position, his feet touching the cracked stone. The whole room was chilled, but it did not bother him in the slightest. He ran a hand across his mildly scarred face as if to make sure it was still there and still his.

 _He created a connection, unintentionally._ His hand snatched up the skull he used to cover his face, slipped it over. His eyes adjusted to the sense of blinding, and then he opened them. Like always, the world took on a greyer tinge, the colors of the room being subdued.

The people of the Hidden Whirlpool Village had been wonderful artisans, deep in their forgotten faith. The Death Masks they had created had never been meant to be actually worn by the living, only for the dead, but they had decided still to make the vision different, to give sensation to the wearer even if they were dead.

 _He almost saw into me._

Somehow, despite not knowing where he was, that- that- that _BOY_ had created a link between their minds. He dreamed of course, like any normal human would. But _this_ was certainly something else, the _sharing_ of a dream…

He lied back down into bed. He had gotten close, but he decided Naruto had not discovered anything harmful. He pulled the covers back on-

He slept with the mask on, eyes open.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

At 8:54 he left his empty house behind and walked to the Hokage Office with a workers hat laid down to cover his face. The Sun was in the sky, and he had managed to wolf down a bowl of Ramen for breakfast. Children we're out going to their classes or just playing, shops were open and tending to their daily customers, and some adults were simply stopping to talk to their friends and neighbors. It was business as usual for Konohagakure.

He passed by, however, a stand that he recognized quite quickly. Three foreign shinobi, two Takigakure and one from Getsugakure stood behind it, with a big sign being supported by all three stating in bold: **GIVE US SPEECH.** A number of shinobi stood listening to their speaker.

Making sure his hat covered his face, he approached the assembly. He noticed every single shinobi present was of a smaller nation; those of the Great Nations walked by with cautious glances.

"In four days time, the Kage Summit will be held!" The speaker was calling to them. "And still the Kages have the audacity to ignore us, though we grow in supports with every passing day! We strive to go about this peacefully, and that is why Kusagakure has dropped out of the Movement. We strive to be heard with our signs and shouts, but are they really being heard?"

The crowd grumbled unhappily. A knot was tying in Naruto's stomach as he took in the angry looks everyone was showing.

"Should we march up the Hokage Office and demand they let us in?" The speaker shouted suddenly. "We have stood here day after day and all they do is turn a blind eye; let us force them to look at us!"

The answer was resounding, and with a start Naruto realized the crowd was rapidly increasing in size; like some sort of magnet, other shinobi of other villages had been attracted to the crowd and now the assembled shinobi we're large enough to fill the street. And now, as one big lumbering beast, they began to walk towards the Hokage Office.

The children who had been playing ran inside. The shopkeepers who had been selling shut their windows and shooed the customers away. The pleasant conversations grew quiet. The mob was still growing, sucking up more and more disgruntled shinobi. Naruto fought to keep calm; he had to _do_ something-

Quickly the Office came into view. The mob had not gone unnoticed; Kakashi Hatake stood before them, along with four other Konoha-nin. The crowd grew to an unsteady halt before them. In the window above, he could see Shikamaru and others looking down upon them all.

 _Do something, Naruto-_

"Now let's all just settle down," Kakashi said in a modulated voice. "We can understand all the upset, but there is no need to start a riot-"

"Kusagakure threatens violent, and now you listen to them!" Somehow shouted, and the crowd also began shouting.

"Kusagakure has bought into the words of a terrorist," Kakashi retorted loudly, his eyes growing cold. "Are you all _really_ going to as well. Shinobi are trained to be independent thinking, yes, but that doesn't mean believe the man who tells you what you want to hear-"

"And you are no better- you don't even give us _any_ words!"

A rock flew over the crowd from somewhere in the middle of the mob, and it smashed through the Hokage viewing window. For a moment, this seemed to halt the crowd, as this sudden violence made them all unsure. _Bent on words, not action,_ Naruto thought.

But then someone in the crowd roared, _"MAKE THEM LISTEN TO US!",_ and that settled things. The crowd surged forward, and Kakashi and his guards all took a step back, unsure of how to react-

"STOP!" Naruto shouted, and he jumped into the air and landed in front of Kakashi. His former sensei seemed greatly shocked to see it was him as he tossed away his worker's hat. The people in the front of the crowd hesitated, but those in the back had not seen; they continued to push, their anger unleashed-

Naruto clapped his hands together, and an apparition of the Nine-Tails emerged from him, monstrous and glowing orange. The front of the crowd buckled in terror, but those in the back only stopped, which was what he wanted. He made the apparition give a frightening screech, and silence descended upon the mob.

Restraining himself, he made the Nine-Tails apparition fade. "There is too much hatred!" He called out to them. "Too much from you, and too much from us. For so many years, the Great Nations has run the continent, yes. Too many years, we ignored all of you. But now I have listened, and I am disgusted with what I hear!"

"You intend to do violence to everyone, though it was only a handful who hurt you!" His eyes were blazing scarlet, he knew, as Kurama boiled with exhilaration inside him. "That is _not_ the way of the shinobi, nor is it the way of the civilized being. Kusagakure may preach violence now, but do we want to plunge ourselves back into war? DO WE?"

He sighed. "But we aren't innocent, either, and it is for that reason I will not amend Konohagakure's sins. I resign myself from the position of Hokage-" he ignored the gasps of everyone in front and behind him- "and thus withdraw the Village Hidden in the Leaves from the upcoming Kage Summit, in hopes that without a voice we may be equal with all of you now."

The crowd was silent, and then slowly began to disperse into various small groups. Many seemed stunned, embarrassed even, by their actions. Within a minute, there was empty space before him.

"Naruto…" Kakashi began from behind him. "You shouldn't have done that, do you have _any_ idea what you've just done-"

"NARUTO!" Shikamaru was storming out of the front doors with all the elders, Granny Tsunade, Ibiki, and many high ranking jonin. All we're looking scandalized at him or at the dispersing people of the mob.

He felt his face reddening. "Uh, hello everyone," he began timidly. "Let's cut to the chase-"

" _What-the-devil-do-you-think-you're-doing?"_ Shikamaru hissed, his voice absolutely furious. "You're gone for a week, and as soon as you come back, not even a full _month_ on the job, you _RESIGN_?!"

"Look, this is what has to be done," he replied heavily. "Did you think I wanted to do this willingly? Hinata told me about Lord S's message to the village, and how he called out for Sasuke and I specifically. Do you really think that if I remain Hokage S won't in turn target the Leaf anyways?"

"Naruto-"

"He bombed the Leaf first," he continued doggedly. "He could've chosen any other village, but he went for us first. He already has some sort of prejudice against us, but no one else can obviously prove it. If I leave, however, it tells everyone else he has no reason to attack Konohagakure, and if he does then he's obviously not honorable."

"And you think everything here is going to peachy while you're gone?" Shikamaru snarled. "Did you not just see the riot that just happened? It's respect for you as a war hero they backed down, nothing else. You're one of strongest shinobi alive, and if you're going to just- just- take off again-"

Naruto ran a hand through his hair. "I have to make him happy, Shikamaru," he said quietly. "If I don't, he's going to come after the kids. I'm sorry, but I can't let them be at risk."

"Your kids over the village's stability?" Shikamaru asked incredously. He looked to the others to see what they we're thinking. Kakashi had folded his arms, his eyes closed in thought. Ibiki and the other jonin were silent but looking as disgruntled as Shikamaru.

"How does this help us?" Shikamaru demanded wolfishly. "Who give's a damn about honor at this point- he's going to declare war on us, and some nations are actually backing him. If you're not here, what's to stop him from attacking?"

"Hey may not have honor, but the other nations do," Kakashi broke in, arms folded but looking thoughtfully at his now surrendering successor. "If they see S make an unprovoked attack on Konohagakure, then they will no doubt not join him. Every nation has done its share of mistakes and bad turns, but in the end history always records two things: those who fought the worst and those who fought the best, and nobody wants to read their name to the worst."

Tsunade, the former Fifth Hokage, also stepped forward. "I don't like Naruto leaving as much as the rest of you," she broke in bluntly. "But S made it clear he wants them both; if we surrendered Sasuke and Naruto to him, we would look foolishly helpless and desperate. If we resist, then S would come to apprehend them by force: just look at the attempt on the Seventh just last night!"

"There was no evidence it was Skeleton..." Ibiki muttered, but he gave no other words. He, too, looked to be reluctantly accepting of Naruto's plan.

"Our best chance is for Naruto to... cut his ties to the village for now." Her face looked impassive, but in her eyes Naruto saw familiar pain, very much the same when he had almost died during the enormous fight between the three Sannin many years ago. Then, Orochimaru and Kabuto had nearly killed Naruto and stolen the dream of being Hokage from him, but now it was Naruto himself seemingly walking away from it. He wanted to hug her, to tell her he was going to stop S and return, but even as the words formed on his lips, he wasn't sure he could put enough certainty behind it...

Shikamaru looked around at the faces staring at Naruto. Even the elders had seemed to accept that this was for the best after Tsunade's counsel. The Nara Clan descendant's eyes were haggard and sleepy; he looked as if he needed a long nap, and Naruto felt a stab of guilt as he realized placing Shikamaru in charge had overridden him.

"Kakashi, will you fill in for me?" Naruto asked.

His former sensei flickered his eyes to Shikamaru, then back to the former Seventh. "Of course."

He nodded to them all, then unsure of what to do, simply said, "I will save us."

Tsunade hugged him suddenly, tightly and as sure as his mother would have hugged him. He held her in his strong arms for a moment, then released her. He saw Ibiki had his hand out, and Naruto shook it, his hand almost crushed in the other's iron grip. Then Kakashi took his hand, and his eyes twinkled with trust. Naruto smiled warmly back.

Then the elders came, offered him words of encouragement, wisdom, hope. The other senior shinobi all shook his hand, with Kurenai Yuhi hugging him, while grumpy old Ebisu, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses, betrayed a single tear as he grasped Naruto's hand with both of his own.

Shikamaru gave him a sort of resigned smile. "Just like you, to take the big noble sacrifice of quitting the position to spent your whole life chasing after. I can't believe you sometimes."

"Neither can I." Shikamaru chuckled, gave him a quick hug, then joined the ranks of the senior shinobi. Naruto looked at them all one more time, then turned around and left them. He walked aimlessly down the streets for some time, looking at the village buildings and wondering when he would be able to return to them, if ever. He clenched his fist in silent anger as he remembered he could not certainly tell Tsunade he would stop S.

But he would try.

His footsteps began to clink against a marble floor, and he found himself outside the Tsunade Hospital. Making sure not to make the same mistake as last time, he walked inside swiftly. The front desk was being attended to buy a fresh-faced girl he had never seen more, who was chewing gum and looking bored.

"Visiting hours don't start for another hour, sorry," she said dully, not looking at him.

"Then you better change your schedule," he retorted firmly. "Tell me where Hinata Hyuga Uzumaki and her daughter is, now."

The receptionist turned her bored face to look at him, instantly recognized him, and her hand instantly fumbled for the room list. "It's uh... uh... Room 129, fourth down on the left-"

He took off at a run, and all but threw the door open. Hinata was there, on a pure white hospital bed wide enough to fit both her and Himawari, though she was not in the room.

"Naruto-" Hinata began knowingly, and he responded by walking over to her and holding her soft hands in his rough ones.

"I thought it'd be best if I, er, tell you I'm taking off this time," Naruto said sheepishly, some boyish charm creeping into his tone. She smiled back at him, her face reddening like it had countless times in the past.

"Well, I'll be waiting here for you, like always."

"I don't know how long I'll be out... it's a long mission." His voice stopped, he looked away. "I... don't know if I can leave again.. especially like this..."

"I'm going to hunt down S and kill him," he said forcefully and suddenly. "I'm going to make him pay for what he's down to you, the village-" He felt so angry, looking at her in the hospital bed, that he had the urge to smash his fist through the wall.

She held his hand more tightly. "You're the strongest man I know," she told him firmly. "I know you can save us all from him, I know it, somehow."

"Are you just telling me that because you love me?"

"No, I'm telling you that because it's true." Then she pulled his head down and kissed him, and he closed his eyes and just enjoyed the moment before he forced himself to pull away.

"I'll tell Boruto and Himawari what's happened before the Press scrambles it for them," she told him breathily as he released her trembling hand.

He nodded once, opened the door-

-and slammed it into Mirai Sarutobi. "M-Mirai, sorry, I didn't see you there," he fumbled apologetically.

She waved a hand to assure him it was okay, though she was clutching her nose painfully. _She must've just been walking down the hall_ , he thought, still filled with apology and mixed emotions for Hinata. Her clothes were unwashed, and her face looked dirty; her eyes seemed to have the same gaunt look as Shikamaru's as one who had not had enough sleep from worrying to much.

"Mirai, you look awful," he said, then realized he probably sounded too harsh, and swiftly added, "Nothing that a day at the sauna can't fix, why don't you go freshen up?"

She nodded silently, made to leave in a hurry; she seemed to be in a rush to leave.

"Hey, wait," he asked quickly, another surge of emotion surging over him. He had made Hinata do enough-

"Yes, Lord former Hokage?"

He paused, wondering if she had been listening at the hospital door. But Mirai was smart; no doubt she had pieced together what he planned to do on her own based on what Shikamaru probably told her. "I'm sorry for insulting you like that, you we're just at the training grounds, right?"

She waited a moment, then smartly replied, "Of course. Training hard, like always."

 _That explains why she looks so tired._ "Was Boruto there?"

She bit her lip as if uncertain, then shrugged. "I didn't see him there, but knowing how excited he is to be a shinobi all the time, I wouldn't put it past him."

"Thanks," he said quickly, then tore off in the direction of the training grounds, while Mirai looked at his retreating back a second longer before slowly heading out the other exit of the other Hospital that fed into the Southern District.


	21. Chapter 19- Family Matters

**Sorry for the delay, you know how life is. Made this chapter longer than usual to make up for it; it'll possibly answer some of your questions, if you've been reading the hints well enough. If not, don't worry, everything is going to be as clear as day in no time at all.**

 **And of course, thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows you guys have given so far!**

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

Before the first rays of the Sun had entered through the slitted drapes over the Ambassador Suite's room, Sasuke was awake. In fact, he had not closed his eyes for a moment. Sakura was on the bed, asleep, with her arms around Sarada. Both were content, if Sakura had seemed slightly restless halfway through the night.

But he had not slept. How could he, when their enemy was only a few doors down? Sasuke had expected the door knob to turn at any minute throughout the night, or for the door to simply be blasted off its hinges. But nothing happened; the room remained silent and undisturbed.

But still he did not let himself wander into sleep. His eyelids grew heavy after six hours of staring at the door, a mix of swears going through his mind at their situation. It was not until the room suddenly became bathed in warm light that he stood up and began to pace. _Where was he? Surely he wouldn't actually just let them_ sleep _? We're mere yards from each other, the man responsible for bombing Konohagakure! What is he playing at?_

He determined only one logical response: this _was_ his plan, for Sasuke to think S had no plan, and right when Sasuke was going to lower his guard, the Skeleton Mask would kill his family, his closest loved ones.

So again he sat in the chair and faced the door, but as he sat down a recent memory stirred in him. It was of Naruto lying in an isolated hospital bed, looking world-weary and defeated. And there was Sasuke himself, standing over him. _"_ _What are you so worried about? We're the two strongest shinobi alive, he can't hurt us."_

The memory changed, and this time the Sasuke of the past looked at him instead. _"_ _Look at you, why are you so frightened?"_ He sneered. _"_ _Go into that room and kill him! BE DONE WITH IT!"_

He clenched the armrests of the chair. "I can't just do that, Takigakure would flip a table-"

 _"_ _Are you a shinobi or not?"_

He paused. So _what_ about the legal technicalities? Back then no one would've stepped in if he killed another shinobi; he had almost gotten away with being internationally wanted before. Why should he abide by these limiting laws-

 _Itachi wouldn't have wanted it, neither would Shisui. He would've wanted you to keep the peace. It's what he always wanted, what he would do now._

Itachi… and suddenly a wave of cold went through him. Itachi and Shisui, both had wanted peace. Both were dead because they had tried for it. Lord S would not be so humble; he would slaughter whatever got in his way, Sasuke guessed. A man, barbaric to the core, twisted…

"Sometimes, peace comes at the cost of violence," he said to himself, and he stood up and opened the door.

"Sasuke…?" Sakura's bleary voice came, but he ignored it. Three polished spruce doors down, the fourth one- it was already ajar-

"Sasuke?" Sakura's concerned voice came from behind him, covered him in her worry. He stopped, a few feet from the door, and sighed.

"Sorry. I'm… sorry. I'm just… on edge."

"So am I, but we can't let him get to us," she murmured to him, put an arm around him into a hug. "We deal with him today, in a chair. We'll persuade Takigakure they don't need him-"

"We don't need Takigakure either," Sasuke muttered back, drawing his mind away from S. "Did you hear them, making demands of us or they'll turn away? How dare they pull a stunt like that on us-"

She sighed. "You love us a lot, Sasuke, and Naruto too, and the village as well, but you have to learn to care for others, people from other lands. We're all in this continent together, this _world_ together. You can't deny we're all connected and need each other for one reason or other- before, we were all apart and being a shinobi only meant protecting your village."

"That's still true."

"It is," she agreed. "But it's more than that now. It started when we all united against Obito in the Fourth War- we weren't Konoha-nin or Kumo-nin, we were the Allied Shinobi Forces. Unified, into a single body. Together, we accomplished great things, but apart, we only drive a wedge in between progress."

He remained silent, not looking at her.

She carried on, still gently. "With the smaller nations, we can share that progress, we can unite _everyone._ I think… I think maybe Lord S wants the same, but he doesn't agree with our methods. He wants to do it his way...why he disagrees with us is beyond me."

"Perhaps," said Lord S's door quietly, "It's because people like Sasuke have those types of views, and are in power, Lady Sakura."

She gave a gasp that was muffled as Sasuke moved quickly to put himself completely between him and the opening door.

S didn't make any move, simply leaned against the door frame as if he was greeting everyday neighbors. "You are a good woman," S said politely, "But your husband is not a good man. Listen to how he talks about the smaller nations, like they're not human too. It is truly sickening."

"I didn't say they were less than human," Sasuke grunted.

"Perhaps." The skeletal teeth moved lifelike, the eye sockets remained as empty and mysterious as ever. "But the sentiment is the same, you don't care for Takigakure like I do, or any of the smaller nations."

"And how do you care for them?" Sakura asked quietly. "You promised them freedom through violence; the Great Nations can establish peace without it. You only offer disparity-"

"Are you a Takigakure shinobi?" Sasuke interrupted bluntly. "Do you truly care for them as a brother would, because I doubt it. You're a missing-nin of some sort, probably a coward who fled during the Fourth War because he was to scared to fight-" at this, Sakura moaned in small despair behind him, he but kept going- "but here you are preaching you can give these people _freedom_? Freedom from _what_ exactly? Who elected you their moral God?"

The man in the doorway walked toward him so fast, without warning, that Sasuke only managed to place a hand on the hilt of Kusangi before S was inches from his face. Sasuke's dark eyes glared into the emptiness of the others, but neither moved.

"I am not their God," the skeleton face. "Neither am I a Takigakure shinobi. I am a man of many things, Sasuke Uchiha, just as you are. You were promising as a boy, full of light and hope. I watched you, hoping you would be like _Itachi_ "- here he paused, and his voice shook, but when he spoke again it was still frostier than the night air- "but you are like me… the world forced us all to change. Madara, Obito, Fugaku, Itachi, you, me." He breathed deeply through the mask, and it seemed to shiver, wanting to separate from the flesh it was so attached to; in the blackness of the sockets, Sasuke thought he saw a glimmer of pale blue irises, but they were gone as quickly as they had appeared.

"I am doing what you and your little friend Naruto Uzumaki failed to do," S whispered. "What Madara and Obito wanted, what Itachi wanted. Peace, stability, prosperity, for _all_. You both could have done that, so much was invested in you to do that, we all trusted you- you- _you-_ you have no idea…"

Sasuke stepped back, alarmed at the tone of the other. The coldness had solidified into icy fury. He withdrew the Sword of Kusangi fully, expecting S to leap at him and attack at any moment. But no, the Skeleton Mask wearing freak seemed to calm himself.

"Who are you, that you know all this, to place yourself in the names you listed?" Sasuke whispered, shocked at what he was thinking.

S shrugged, began to walk down the hall to the descending stairs. "Just a maniac to you, I suppose. A bringer of death to others .Maybe a devil to your friend Naruto Uzuamki. To Takigakure in about ten minutes, I am about to become the best thing that's ever happened to them."

 **XXX**

 **S**

The Elder Council was already seated as he walked into the dimly lit room, he allowed a curt nod in the direction of Shibiki before placing himself in the middle of the semicircle of arranged tables. There were nine Elders normally, though, of course with the bloodied body of the traitorous Benedict removed, the ninth had been removed. Shibiki, though not nearly as old as any of the others, had proved to be a capable and steadfast leader time and time again, and thus had been the first Takigakure Leader to be present at hearings such as these.

As soon as he had seated himself casually in his rickety wooden chair, Sasuke Uchiha walked in, followed closely by his wife. He was paler than usual, whereas his woman seemed more colored, even determined. He withheld a smile: they would not be triumphing over him this day.

"So…" Shibiki rolled out, his voice tight. 'We have the Konohagakure diplomats here, originally sent for a trade agreement and now here to ensure our military loyalty, and… Lord S." He seemed quite uneasy saying his name, and s vaguely wondered if he feared he would be killed, like Benedict.

"The alliance with the Five Nations is over," he stated loudly, with an edge of command. "They are broken, weak, and selfish. Even the slowest of you must have grasped that by now."

"So you say," said one of seated elders, a man with a beard the same color of rain clouds. "Yes, certainly many of us are unhappy with how the five treat us, you can see that by the amount of people in the Universal Voice Movement. But come the Kage Summit in three days, I believe that will change."

The mask lacked eyebrows, so he cocked his head to suggest his skepticism. "What makes you think that?"

"It is as Shibiki said," Rain Beard replied simply. "These diplomats will take home the information stating if our Leader is not allowed into the Summit, they will find us under your wings of revolution."

"So you would rather wait to have your hopes completely crushed? You risk losing the support of your shinobi abroad-"

Shibiki's face darkened. "Do you doubt the loyalty of our shinobi?"

S was tempted to retort the three highly skilled Takigakure shinobi under his command, even now working to destroy Konoha from the inside out, but he resisted the urge. "Of course not," he said easily. "However, those in Konohagakure hear things very differently from you. They hear the resistance to their words to their face, you hear them from a distance. There has been several riots in the Leaf already, involving _your_ shinobi. I can almost assure you that when they hear this decision, that you're placing your voice in the hands of those already denying you, they will not remain quiet."

That shut both rain beard and Shibiki up for now, and he saw an opportunity to quickly turn them to his side. "But _I_ can help avoid that. If you pledge your support _now_ , to me and the Red Star-" he brushed his fingers against the exposed red diamond tattoo on his arm- "then I will definitely coerce the Kages into giving you your rightful place among the Summit."

"And how will you do that?" Sasuke spoke up, his voice like iron. "Three days away from the Summit, are you kidding me, you want to make that big of a change? It'll never happen."

"You doubt me?"

"I doubt the way you're going to do it." They both looked at each other at the same time, and for a moment S felt confusion. _Did he know of the plan? No…_ He brushed the thought aside.

"So if you don't doubt me, then you doubt our ability to unify."

"No-"

"Then why don't you explain to our dear Elders why you don't want them to join the Five at the Kage Summit? I mean, you already told me, so perhaps you say it before I do."

He had caught the Uchiha in a trap, and again he suppressed his grin. The Elders were looking suspiciously at Sasuke and sakura now; even Shibiki, their closest ally on the council, was wearing that same dark look. If Sasuke lied, S would simply tell them the truth. If Sasuke told the truth, the Elders would _know_ they were being ostracized and being put down. _Checkmate, my old friend._

"Let me tell you what we believe." He turned, slowly, to look at Sakura Uchiha. "Sasuke and Naruto came many years ago to help Shibiki rise above his old mentor and protect the Hero Water. They placed their lives at risk, suffered, for the village, this _nation_. And they aren't the only ones who think of you as brothers. I do as well, as does my village. Our bond has been as powerful as the current of water that falls from your own waterfall."

At that moment, a harried looking guard peeked inside the room, looking distressed. "Ah, I'm sorry to interrupt,' he mumbled, looking distraught at having interrupted his leaders. 'But you said to keep our shinobi separated from the visitors, but i haven't been able to- _HEY STOPIT !"_ The guard had been hit in the head by a water balloon, and he disappeared in a blur, leaving the door slightly ajar. Laughter drifted in- _laughter?_

His frown grew more pronounced as he realized they were the laughs of Sasuke's daughter and several other children. Takigakure children-

Rain Beard smiled. "Eloan, let them play," he called out of the door, and they all heard the guard sigh in relief and relax.

"Our children don't have to grow up in a world separate again," Sakura said quietly. "Look at them now, forming bonds of friendship, bonds that won't let them leave a comrade behind in battle! They are the same type of bonds we make inside our own village now, the type we protested during our own childhood."

Her voice grew louder, and yet softer; S resisted the urge to snort in disgust. "Naruto and Sasuke proved it was possible with Shibiki, even then when we were not as good as friends. Why should you allow this one man who shouts empty promises at you ruin all of this?"

"Oh, please," he leered out of the mask, unable to take it anymore. "If you're going to buy sentiment over real strength, I should walk out now."

Shibiki stood up from his seat. "So now you insult the Council?" He growled.

"Not at all, not at all. Oh wait, I am." He ignored the grunts of distaste from the other Elders. "You want your kids to live with other shinobi? Fine, go ahead. Let them live in the _squalor_ that will continue from this. Oh yes, look at me like that all you like, but it does not change the fact the Five will only satisfy you for a little bit until you appear content, and then they will put you back into the mud."

He shot a finger at Sakura and her stony-faced husband. "Their job is to fill you with fake promises and sentiment; how many times have other diplomats walked into this same room and fooled your predecessors. It was _their_ fault you all were even in this predicament in the first place; do not create the same resentment the next generation will have!"

Rain Beard put his fingers in his beard and stroked it, silent. His words seemed to have finally passed through the cotton in his ears. Shibiki, likewise, slowly sat back down.

"Take it from me," Lord S spoke quietly, as if conferring a secret to a friend. " _I_ know what it is like to give people power that could've been yours, and watched it waste away. That is why I do this now… so people like _them_ cannot do the same to others!"

He fought to regain control of his temper, and his hands clenched into fists on his lap. Familiar, painful, horrific memories, spurred by his own speech. It was all he could do not to leap at Itachi's brother and slaughter him there and then.

Again his disgustingly pacifist wife spoke again. "Elder Council, please," she pleaded. "I speak from the heart when I say we can be equal allies, perhaps not at this Summit, it is too soon, but in the-"

But the Elders had roared in protest as soon as she denied them the Summit; Rain Beard clucked his tongue and the others settled down, though they now harbored deep dislike at the seated Konoha-nin.

"We have heard enough," Rain Beard said gruffly. "Takigakure will transition its allegiance towards-"

For the second time, the interruption turned the assembly against S. The door opened and out stumbled a different man, his eyes wide with shock. His shoulder epaulet labeled him as apart of Takigakure's young electronic communication center.

"You wished to be notified in case of an emergencies, Elders," he gasped, panting from his run over. "I have… news… from Konohagakure!"

 _What sort of news would bring him running here?_ He stiffened in his seat, a knot tying in his stomach. Somehow, somehow he knew it was… _him_.

His worst fear was confirmed. "Naruto Uzumaki has resigned from Hokage! Kakashi Hatake has resumed the title of the Sixth Hokage!"

The room was silent. Then: "And why? Did he say?"

The communications man turned to face him, no doubt disturbed by the words that had come out almost animalistically, and his shock turned to fear as he drank in the snarling skeletal face.

"H-His exact words, as stated by K-Kakashi Hatake: 'If the smaller nations c-cannot participate in this Summit, then neither will Konohagakure-"

The name of the village he so hated was the last thing the man ever spoke. S backhanded him with the force of a charging rhino, and the man's cheekbone broke a second before his neck twisted from the impact to the point it, too, snapped.

Instantly, the Elders were standing up, and Sasuke Uchiha had his blade out.

Fury coursed through his veins, mingling with his blood. _Foiled, again, by Naruto Uzumaki._

He flung himself across the room, bottling his anger and venting it in a different way. The Elders, for all their power, could not stop him. The first he reached projected some sort of watery lasso that, for a moment, binded him successfully.

But he had guessed the foolish old men, pacifists at the heart, would try to capture him first, and he made sure his arms were raised as the lasso slid down to tighten around his rib cage.

 **"** **Sage Art: Dragonflame Jutsu!"**

The C-Ranked Jutsu, enhanced tenfold by the infinite natural energy around him, caused the Elder to disintegrate to ash upon impact. The water lasso shimmered, then splashed all around him.

But by then, he had already moved. He body-flickered to the next, who was too slow to respond. His fingers found the other's wrinkled neck, and he gave one, powerful squeeze. The muscles squelched, and then another was dead.

Uchiha was moving with a speed that was similar to his own, that was even better than Itachi's in his youthful prime, and he made his choice. Another Body-Flicker moved him back to his chair, and in one quick movement it was in his hand, being swung around as if it weighed nothing.

The Sharingan in the other had reached their Mongekyo stage: Ameterasu, he knew, he would not be able to stop if it hit him. He timed his throw, his own Sharingan active deep in the mask, and saw the right time to throw it.

With a crackle, the familiar black flames appeared out of the other's eye, but instead of hitting S, they struck the incoming chair. Cursing aloud, Sasuke moved out of the way as his own attack came at him, by which time S was already waiting, a spear made of earth chakra waiting-

 **"** **Hiden Jutsu: Charybdis Vortex!"**

He stumbled, his legs suddenly caught in a swishing current. The floor was swiftly being ripped away by a well of water emerging from beneath his own feet. He tried to Body-Flicker out, but he merely fell forward into the water as the current dragged him. In an instant, he was caught in the tide, and water filled his lungs-

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha**

"Is he dead?"

Shibiki grimaced, his hands held fast together. "He's resisting, but he can't escape. This jutsu will literally eat him; it's a rather unique type, a mix of a summoning and water style."

Drenched from only a few seconds in the rippling tide enveloping the center of the room, Sasuke gave no comment. If it killed the man, he would be appreciative either way. He had scooped up Sakura in his arms to take her out of harm's way, he now set her down, where she thanked him with a quick kiss.

The Elder with the thick gray beard had his two dead colleagues draped over his shoulder; he was stronger than his frail body portrayed.

"Shibiki, he is in the maw of the beast now, stop the jutsu," he grunted. He glanced at Sasuke and Sakura. "Best you two leave as well, back to your village. I think we know where to stan-"

The entire room exploded from the ground up, and in a blink Sasuke had the Rinnegan activated and teleported himself and Sakura out of the building.

Hissing filled the air, wild and furious. From within the smoking building, he heard it speak. _"_ _You ressssscued me now, after all those dayssss in Mount Myoboku. And I'm all wet! You-"_

"Enough, Surda; you have a full buffet in front of you."

 _"_ _Buffet?"_

"Any living being you see."

 _"_ _Delicioussss."_

With a loud _thud_ , the gray bearded elder's charred corpse landed next to them, and Sakura gave a whimper. The smoke was shifting now; something massive was moving inside it.

"TO ARMS!" He heard Shibiki scream from somewhere, and from every surrounding buildings shinobi and kunoichi emerged, while children and commoners ran inside to fill the vacancy.

Children- "SARADA!" He shouted, looking for her wildly. The great snake and the defenders of Takigakure had engaged, filling the atmosphere with screams and hissing. S was nowhere to be found.

"SARADA!" He shouted again, desperately.

"Dad!" She was running at them, from far away, where the water surrounding the Great Tree met the land. She was tugging along the boy he had spoken to, who's father had mysteriously disappeared. "Come on!" She shouted at him, at the boy stumbled along after her.

He ran towards her, but he found his way blocked. The great snake's tail had gotten in the way as it battled Shibiki and his warriors.

 _I don't have time for this!_ He summoned a Chidori into his hand, and in a second had shaped it into a Chidori Sharp Spear: five meters of solid chakra.

 _SLICK._ He jumped swinging the Chidori Spear upwards, cutting through the tail completely, severing it from the body of the enormous summon. The snake bellowed in turmoil, finding itself overwhelmed by the shinobi swarming it and giving it dozens of wounds, and now the loss of its tail. It flung off those clinging to its slimy scales and turned to face him.

 _"_ _Inssssolent man, do you know who I am!?"_

"Do you know who I am?" Sasuke snarled back, and it gave the snake pause as it took the challenge too literally.

 _"_ _No, why would I-?"_ He soared forward, and the Chidori Spear cleaved through its thin head, separating it in half. Blood flew easily, drenching all nearby. Just like that, the snake was dead, but the threat was not over.

"Don't move, Sasuke." Slowly, he turned around again, his whole body coated in blood. S was there, holding Sarada by the hair. The missing shinobi's son was on the ground stirring feebly, while Sakura looked on, her eyes unfocused by a hastily placed genjutsu.

A powerful genjutsu; her chakra control was among the best in the world, only precious few people could be capable of it.

So he threw his guess out. "You're an Uchiha."

"And you are… interesting." The skull cocked its head. "Nice Rinnegan."

"Nice Sharingan."

"How did you guess?"

"No one else would be able to predict my moves like you, or counter. And that speed; very few people outside of the clan had that sort of swiftness. Who are you?"

S shrugged. "I am S, that is all there is." His hand tightened in his daughter's hair, and her face betrayed the pain as the skull pulled on the roots. "I will be taking your daughter, Uchiha. If you stop me, I'll just kill her here and now."

"You'll… what?" He hadn't expected to hear that. "What do you want with her?"

"Nothing wrong with a good hostage… and bait."

"I'm right here, you don't have to bait me," Sasuke snarled, but in his gut he was riled with worry.

The mask smiled. "Don't worry, the bait isn't for you. I intend to draw your friend Naruto Uzumaki to me. His… departure from the post of Hokage has upset the plan ever so slightly- but don't worry! There are always ways to fix it."

Sasuke's eyes flickered to something behind S, then back to the man. "Let her go, S," he tried one more time. "Whatever it is that you really want out of this plan, it won't work. You'll never manage to make it work-"

"Enough talking," S said suddenly. He seemed to sense something was amiss, but his Sharingan were not Byakugan, he could not see directly behind him-

The son of the missing shinobi, using every bit of stealth training he had ever seen and been taught, crept into his blind spot and brought a kunai knife straight into the small of his back. The wound was not grievous, nor was it deep, but it did surprise S enough to make him loosen his hold on Sarada's hair for a small second.

During which, Sasuke had used the Amenotejikara to move Sarada straight to his side. In another dash, he was bringing the Sword of Kusangi to bear right at S's heart as he ruthlessly tossed the boy away-

S caught the sword by the hilt, but Sasuke had already guessed he would see it coming. He brought his foot around, and S caught it, too. They were locked, limb in limb. There was only one part he could move now-

And he smashed his forehead into the mask.

 _CRACK._ There was silence in the clearing around the Great Tree. S released him, and Sasuke flipped away, his forehead bruised and bleeding.

S was holding his own forehead, where a broken star was cracked into the smooth features of the mask. He knelt down to a knee, and slowly he peeled off a large portion of the mask. It slipped out of his fingers and fell to the grass.

"Sasuke… Uchiha."

Sasuke pointed the tip of the sword again. " _Leave_."

"Itachi would be proud, and disappointed, I can say that. Proud of the power his brother achieved, and yet disappointed he would be obstructing the very thing he wanted." The mask shivered again on the face, then solidified again. Blood trickled down onto the skull from the wound in the forehead, giving it a much more sinister look. A deep red burned in the empty pits of the sockets- the Sharingan of its user.

"This is… far from over. Well, I can't say that. This'll all draw to an end very shortly, but there is just so much to do in so little time!" With a mocking salute at Sasuke's glaring face, S did a Reverse-Summoning technique and he warped out of the village.

 **XXX**

"We're going back, now."

"I understand." Shibiki drank some of the strong cider he had brought out, his face troubled. "And what of Naruto? Has he really resigned as Seventh Hokage?"

"That, we have no way of knowing until we return."

Shibiki nodded, set the glass down. "You do realize S will undoubtedly provoke an attack on you now?"

"You do realize you were a fool for even considering joining him would be beneficial?" Sasuke countered behind crossed arms.

The other chose not to reply to this. "I'm sending some Takigakure-nin with you until you reach the Land of Fire's border."

"Why?"

"Take it as my apology for what trouble I've caused you, your village, and most heinously, your family. Giving you extra security- though with someone of your stature, it may not be necessary- but… just accept, please. If only to ease our conscience."

Sasuke nodded, stood to leave, but then paused. "Based on your own words family is important to Takigakure."

He nodded slowly.

"There is a boy in your village, along with two others, whose fathers went missing in battle. They don't know what happened to them, and they ache with that pain. I take it their fathers died in battle and you simply can't tell them?"

Shibiki took a long sip of the cider, smiled at the glass. "Good vintage, really gives your mind a rest from the ceaseless troubles as a leader." His face darkened. "The boy's name is Choi, and his father's is Flint. Flint was part of a high-level recon team that consistently saw him and his teammates away from the village- away from their home. By the time we realized the consequences of seemingly shoving them aside, it was too late."

"What happened?"

"In his position of power, Flint was one of the few who knew the location of the Hero Water."

Sasuke grimaced. The Hero Water had been the source of the struggle that had made Naruto, Sasuke, and Shibiki unite many years ago. It granted the user immensely amplified chakra waves, for a short time and at the cost of a shortened life span. The Great Tree yielded some of the precious liquid only every few years. "So he stole some?"

"In a fashion," Shibiki murmured, though he did not give any details. "The crime itself is high level; he was instantly exiled, and his teammates, more loyal to the man they had fought with for years than the village that had many times sent them on near-fatal missions, followed him. We do not know what's become of them, and their disappearance was not reported so as to protect the village's security. "

"And you haven't told their children?" he asked incredulously. "The pain of not knowing is far greater than the pain of knowing what actually happened."

"Would you rather have not known who had slaughtered your clan, lived in blind, content anger, rather than know it was your own flesh and blood responsible for the crime?" Shibiki asked heavily. "If I recall, it drove you to do some rather heinous crimes-"

Sasuke whirled on him, his temper rising. "What's your point?"

Shibiki seemed ancient; his eyes had bags, his hands folded before him as if in prayer. World-weary eyes looked at him, unafraid of his anger, as if he had seen it many times before. "My point is as you said before, family is the most treasured thing in Takigakure, for who could believe your own flesh and blood could turn against everything you know and love? The answer will drive the boy into despair; or worse, perhaps into the same rage you once had."

For a while, there was silence. Right when he felt he should say something, Shibiki said in a more formal tone, "Now, it is time you return home. Choi has taken a liking to your daughter; I've allowed him to join the shinobi I'm sending with you. Show him that even with his father gone, there is still good in this world."

And then they shook hands as equals once more.


	22. Chapter 20- The Kages Arrive

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

He all but ran towards the training ground, and yet did so so silently no one noticed him moving around. He saw jonin teaching genin simple battle moves, saw two Hyuga in a combat exercise, saw the familiar twinkle of blackness off of Shino's glasses as he performed a complex jutsu with his bugs.

 _The Leaf will live on even if I'm not there to guide it, it doesn't need me to survive._ The thought was troubling and comforting at the same time, and thus did nothing to improve his mood. Part of him wanted to just leave already, but he knew that if he left Boruto again, their bond good be permanently broken.

So he searched until he finally found the hair that was so familiar to his own, in a secluded thicket of trees. Leaves littered the forest floor, and those that clung to their mothers blew fiercely in the breeze. A quick scan around showed him eight trees had had a target painted on them.

Standing resolute in the middle of them was his son, eyes closed, his hands pressed across his chest as if he were in a coffin, except that between each knuckle there was a sharp kunai knife. Naruto held back, waiting, watching.

From some unseen signal, Boruto suddenly leapt into action and threw all the kunai within three seconds. Six of them embedded themselves more or less dead center in their targets, the other two struck the bark but bounced off, leaving a scar behind on the wood.

"Getting closer," Boruto muttered to himself happily, wiping his brow with a dirty hand. "One of these days, it'll be all of them. Can't wait to show the old man…"

Naruto decided now was a good time to step forward, and he said, "Still, six is impressive for me to say how proud I am of you."

Boruto whirled around, stunned. "Da-Dad?"

He spread his arms for a hug, but Boruto didn't go into them. He stood there, his face slowly shifting into anger. "Finally decided to come and see me?" he demanded.

"I wanted to see you, but you weren't home."

"Because I was training, like you always said I should be doing! You think I should always be coming to you? Well, I'm not Mom or Himawari, _I'm_ not always going to be waiting!"

He was blasting Naruto with his rage, and the older man could see how things might have been had Minato survived, always out on his missions as Hokage, rarely being home…

 _I should've expected nothing less from him._ He took a deep breath then: "I have to go, Boruto."

" _You're what?"_ His son's voice hit another octave. He actually took a menacing step forward. "No, old man, you're not. You're not leaving all of us again, you hear me? _You're not leaving!"_

"It's to protect you and your mother and your sister… to protect the village," the former Seventh bit out. "There are people out there who would come after you and take you away from me by force, I can't bear it, I couldn't stand it-"

"Don't make up excuses!" Boruto shouted at him. "You're running away from all of this again, leaving us to fend for ourselves while you go try and be a hero somewhere else-"

"It's not like that!" Naruto flung back, starting to get angry himself. "I don't want Skeleton to come after you and take you away from me!"

"What's the damn difference, old man? When you're leaving us behind right now-"

"Would you prefer I not come back at all then?"

"YEAH, MAYBE I WOULD!"

They both glared at each other for a few seconds, then Naruto fell back against one of the nearby trees and slumped to the ground, head in his hands.

For a moment, Boruto was too surprised to do anything, but as he got closer Naruto imagined what his face must've looked like. What son could ever find a proper response to seeing their father cry?

"Dad," Boruto said quietly. "I… I'm sorry. I don't want you to go away…"

"I have to, I have to," Naruto cried, looking utterly pathetic compared to the strong image he had always presented to his children. "God, I'm so sorry, Boruto, I never wanted you to be put in dangers way, what father would want that…"

After some quiet seconds, Naruto regained some control. "I have to find Skeleton, Boruto," Naruto murmured, wiping his eyes. "I have to find him before he finds you, or your mother or sister. You… you have to be the one to protect them until I come back."

"You really have to go this time?" Boruto said, some anger creeping back.

"Yes. There's no other way, besides waiting for him to come to us. And I can't put the village in danger, not again."

Boruto thought about this, then replied, "I understand, I think. You're Hokage, you have to protect everyone. But I guess… you're protecting us by leaving?"

"In a way, yeah. Boruto, listen to me, alright." He swallowed, continued. "You… you have to take care of the family. Your mother's hurt, and your sister is worried. You have to be the man of the household, okay?"

"Haven't I always been?"

"I'm being serious, Boruto."

"So am I," he grumbled, but he was not as furious as he had been before. "Always taking care of things while you're gone."

"This time it's different. This time, I might not come home."

He did not know what made him say it, why he would tell his own son he was unsure if he would survive. A father was supposed to reassure, not worry. Brighten, not cast in how could he lie to his son's face and tell him he was certain he could win?

Boruto's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"Forget I said that," Naruto said strongly, flashed his son a winning smile. "Just take care of the family until I'm back, Boruto. Promise me."

"Dad-"

 _"_ _Promise me."_

"I promise." And he hugged his Dad. His son had not been raised a fool; he was a strong kid, both physically and mentally. Even if Naruto had not elaborated, he could guess his father was in doubt. "You're the strongest guy I know, old man. I know you'll come home. I have faith in you."

And Naruto remembered, many years back when he had been on the brink of utter loss during his fight with Pain, when he had almost allowed the Nine-Tails to be free of him, to finally take down such an immortal foe. But his father, then, had told him: _"_ _I have complete faith in you."_

His mother's spirit had told him she believed in him, too, when he was taking control of the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Jiraiya, Kakashi, Tsunade, Sakura, Sasuke, Shikamaru. Everyone- hadn't they put their faith in him to always come out on top, to always be the better man? And now here was his son, asking him the same thing.

It did not erase the doubt, but it gave him a different sort of strength. He kissed Boruto's head as he drew his son into a tight hug, and then they both released each other easily. Through that quick moment of embrace, he could feel the sincerity in his son's words.

And maybe it was time to pass those words on as well.

"I'll take care of them until you return home, old man."

"I know you will, Boruto, because I have full faith in you, too."

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

At the same time Naruto and his son were bonding beneath the shadow of a hundred leafy trees, Shikamaru was standing at the main gate of the Leaf Village, flanked by a full compliment of jonin. They lined the streets, standing at parade ground formation. In front of him, Kakashi Hatake had already donned the hat Naruto had given him, his clothes changed into the formal look of the village leader.

Then, from one of the gate's towers: "They're here, I can see them!"

Kakashi raised a hand to acknowledge he had heard, then turned to Shikamaru. "Should I tell them now?"

"When we get back to the Office," Shikamaru replied after a moment's thought. "You can address the whole village from there about Naruto."

"Good plan. Now, let's look good for our guests."

The gate parted open, and in strolled the four other Kage, standing tall and proud, their strength practically glowing off them.

Gaara strode forward and personally shook Shikamaru's hand; among the present, they perhaps shared an actual friendship, while the rest were simple acquaintances, fellows of power.

"Good to see you are well, Shikamaru."

He gave the Kazekage a wry smile. "As good as anyone could be in this situation, you mean?"

The other matched his small smile. "Precisely." Gaara's eyes traveled to look at the shinobi lining the streets, then at Kakashi who was shaking the hands of the other Kage. "Where is…?"

"Ah… I'll explain later," Shikamaru muttered, but Gaara put a surprisingly strong hand on his shoulder.

"No, now, please. Where is Naruto?"

Shikamaru dropped his voice. "He's stopped being Hokage, and left the village. He believes the terrorist Skeleton attacked the Leaf because there is a personal feud between them; by leaving, he thinks that S will not harm the Leaf, or if he does, then it will turn international opinion against him."

Gaara listened with rapt attention the whole time, and when he was finished his face grew somber. "If there is anyone who would be willing to sacrifice his dream for others, it's Naruto Uzumaki. Do you know where he's gone?"

"No, and I don't think he would have told anyone else. You're right, he always would be willing to put others before himself, but this… seems different," he ground out.

"How so?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Just a feeling I have. You know Naruto, he'd rather not bother us with what bothers him, he'd rather shoulder the pain himself, the stubborn bastard."

"There is truth to what you say, but you aren't speaking openly."

Shikamaru stared. "And what makes you think that?"

"You make it sound like I wasn't originally a child of secrets myself, or that even now as Kazekage I guard my village's secrets. I can tell when someone isn't being wholly truthful… even with themselves."

He laughed. "You sand guys always got something new to impress me with, I swear."

Gaara didn't laugh back. "What do you know?"

"It's a guess," Shikamaru confessed. "Nothing more than that."

"But your guesses have normally proven to be true," Gaara said, a smile finally coming back to his face. "And given the situation in which we know virtually nothing of what's going on except for what this S has told us himself, I am willing to accept any believable thing you say."

Shikamaru glanced at Kakashi and the other Kages, who were beginning to walk back into the village, towards the office where there would be the customary welcome and greeting of Konoha, and then the Kages would be shown to their accommodating apartments. Shikamaru and Gaara followed behind them, whispering almost conspiratorially.

"There was an attempt in Naruto's home," Shikamaru began quietly. "Anything tied to the electrical grid in the house suddenly came alive and tried to attack him and his family. Light bulbs exploding, gases leaking out of them, the cables from the lamps and TV coming at him… I can't explain what caused it."

"But you have a guess?"

He nodded, and his face reddened slightly with guilt. "Before that, there have been a few anomalies in the Southern Power Grid… unexplained power surges, blackouts. You probably heard about the one a few weeks ago, a number of casualties in it… but they were traced, once. I… failed to understand them at the time."

"To?"

"A restaurant, a diner. Originally it was a hotspot for criminal activity in the Leaf, but three staff inside seemed to have a call of conscience and helped the authorities apprehend them. The insiders asked for in return control over the diner."

Gaara's neat eyebrows furrowed. "So they turned in a number of criminals, and then started playing with their electrical capabilities?"

"Well, that's what I want to believe. It seems farfetched, I know, but this all seems a little _too_ coincidental. Unexplained power surges, the riot during the blackout, the Seventh's house coming alive to attack him? They're linked somehow, and somehow the Outlaw Man Diner is linked. Or if they aren't, someone is definitely taking advantage of the situation."

"But what could it mean?" Gaara wondered, bewildered by the whole explanation. "No one would have the chakra to, say, manipulate all the houses in Konoha to attack everyone, perhaps only a handful of people, and what could would that be? And these power surges, obviously risky. What are they trying to do?"

Shikamaru shook his head. They had reached the Hokage Office, and now Kakashi was ushering in the other Kages, and looking at Gaara expantly. "But we better find out, quick. I'll talk to you later, Lord Kazekage." Shikamaru gave a small bow, but again Gaara stopped him.

"Your guesses are good, and if what you are saying even has a shred of truth, everyone is at risk. We do not know who we can trust with this information right now; _we_ must deal with this ourselves."

"But how?" Shikamaru asked, exasperated. "We can't just walk in there, not without letting them know we're onto them or that we're snooping around."

Gaara rubbed his smooth chin thoughtfully- too, smooth, in fact, and Shikamaru remembered the sand armor he always wore, that thin bit of protection-

"What are you smiling about?"

"Meet me back out here, tomorrow, Lord Kazekage. I have a new guess on how we can get ourselves inside.


	23. Chapter 21- Investigation

**XXX**

 **Team Flint**

The Diner was doing well; half of it was full, they were making pointless _ryo_ , money that served no purpose in their coming future. They had even managed to find a replacement for Dent; a stupid, dimwitted commoner boy who nevertheless was smart enough to both cook their food and not stick his nose in the electrical closet.

Dent's loss was in itself a terrible loss; a man down, they would have to perform their jobs even faster when the time came. The Kage Summit was in two days, and the pressure was mounting. They had finally confirmed the tunnel they had chosen fed directly into the Southern Quadrant's power generator, but now there was the matter of the action itself, and if they would actually be able to do it.

He mulled over the approaching deadline of their endeavour. _Today, tomorrow, then it begins._ Source M had arrived, notified them of the arrival of the four other Kages. She needlessly told them of the Seventh's abrupt resignation; the whole continent was buzzing with the news. Interesting, but a problem for Lord S to handle, not themselves.

9:52 A.M.: Slowly, the breakfast crowd began to drift out. Four tables were left, patrons talking dismally about their own insignificant, carefree lives. He kept his anger in check as he thought about his son, fatherless in Takigakure, fed lies that his father could one day return.

 _One day son, you'll know what became of me, and why I did what I did. I'm sorry I have to cause you this pain now…_

The bell at the front door tinkled, ringing only when someone walked in. He looked up from the table he had been washing subconsciously for some time. Two men had walked in, both sporting scruffy beards that crawled across their face. They were adorn in somewhat fancy clothes, giving away their status of wealthy beings. Neither looked similar to each other, nor did they seem familiar to Flint, and yet there was something… something he couldn't quite place.

 _Earnest for business, but stupid enough not to get it,_ he told himself, then put on a big, flashy smile as he walked to greet them. "Welcome to the Outlaw Man Diner!" he welcomed them both generously, giving them each a good handshake. "Our breakfast hours are from-"

"Sorry, we're not here for breakfast," the one on the left said. His hair was a dark, dark red, his eyes guarded and intelligent. "We're from the International Diner's Association, and since this place's fame has grown-"

"-we wanted to know if you held interest in joining it," the other put in, his eyes also intelligent but almost… _almost_ suspicious. Curious was a better word, but he, too, was guarding something. Flint had seen the looks, a hundred times. They were here for… something.

 _But what?_ "Well, damn, didn't even know there was an International Diner's Club!" he said, purposely, misnaming the group. "Let alone that we'd be invited! Hey, Romaji, come out here! He's my business partner, we opened this place together," he said cheerfully to the two guests. The one with the black hair's eyes flashed almost too quickly to see, but it gave Flint a shudder; something about what he had said was wrong. Surely no one had tied Dent to them, yet. By the time they could autopsy his crisped remains and traced them to his actual identity, it would be far too late for the village itself.

 _So what's wrong here?_

Romaji looked over from behind the counter, and Flint locked eyes with him. Romaji put on an equally cheesy smile and walked over, shook their hands eagerly. "What can we help you gentlemen with?"

"They're here to induct us into the International Diner's Organization!" Flint spoke up before either could answer; the quicker these two bought they were simple business idiots and left, the better.

"Before such an honor happens, we'd like to ask some questions first to make sure you meet our requirements," Red asked sharply, eying them both critically. "You both seem pretty excited, so let's make it quick, alright?"

 _You have no idea, buddy._ "Shoot 'em off!"

"What is your daily revenue?"

 _Typical con move, start off with the real questions to buy trust, to worm their way into what they really want. Black seems to know something we don't based off of my earlier remark… it's just a matter of who cracks first._ "26,000 ryo," Flint shrugged out easily, not even caring if it was right. Any backcheck would come too late for their poor investigators.

"Daily customer intake for morning, lunch, and dinner?"

"60, 75, 110," Romaji replied pleasantly, his hands clasped together and trembling believably in anticipation for their reactions. "Of course, higher numbers on the weekends."

"Right," Black said smoothly. "How about longevity? When did you guys open your doors?"

"Oh not to long ago, but not so long my hair has had a chance to go gray!" Flint laughed jovially.

Red caught it right away; he _was_ sharp. "But your exact amount of time open?"

Both Romaji and him shrugged. "Few weeks."

Black stepped forward casually, and Flint put on a face of mock confusion. "You do not have to lie, this was the restaurant owned by Saki of the Kurai Niku Diner, the black market hub from before. This was shut down and then reopened almost instantly afterwards. Now, what is it you've been doing here?"

 _So that was it._ Flint gave a silent sigh of relief; they either were from this so called International Diner's Association and making sure their record was clean, or they were undercover authorities, still making sure their work was clean. _Still safe._

Romaji seemed to share this thought. "We're not doing anything wrong here!" he protested, the perfect amount of resentment in his voice. "We're working a honest business! Check our cupboards, beneath the sink, the table clothes, there aren't any illegal substances in our diner!"

Red had that piercing look again that Flint could not saw it but took it as a challenge. "Go check our documents, we're not smuggling any money anywhere," Romaji insisted. "Our taxes, our debt payments, whatever-"

"Only an idiot would be illegal funds in their open statements. No, something less substantial like… your electric bill?"

No. _Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy!_ Flint thought furiously. No, it wasn't the investigators they were misleading, it was them, and Flint just hadn't seen it. No, these weren't investigators from any dining institute, or maybe even Konoha authorities. Someone had traced the power fluctuations from their tests to them. And they wanted... What? Blackmail, money?

"Sorry, we haven't been open long enough to receive any bills yet… don't they come at the end of every four weeks?" Bless Romaji, he had their loophole.

"However," he injected hastily, "we have numerous other reports; salaries, decor costs, that sort of thing… if it satisfies what you want." _How about_ that _?_

"Not necessary," Black said smoothly. He had begun to walk around the place, his hands running over the wooden tables delicately. "Your place is very well tended," he admired.

"We try," Flint said happily. _Now hurry up and get out of here._

Red was talking, but he wasn't listening. They _knew_ , they knew, he could hardly believe it-

In seven quick strides, he had reached Black and more than casually placed himself between him and the electrical closet. "I'm sorry, I thought you were exploring the restaurant, not private areas?"

"Your electrical cabinet is a private place?"

Flint shrugged nonchalantly. _Stay calm: earnest, but stupid._ "Well we've been doing some maintenance work, loose and open cables on the ground. Don't want you to get a nasty shock or something!"

"I'll be careful," Black said, and he put a hand on the door knob-

"Go ahead, Flint," Romaji called from where he and Red had remained standing. "I cleared most of the cabling away, it's safe to look."

Black opened the door, and sure enough the floor had been replaced. It was certainly cracked and damaged, and there was still the main power cable loose on the ground. But otherwise, Romaji had actually cleaned the room up to the point it was not suspicious at all.

And by the look on Black's intelligent face, he knew it, too. "Sorry, we just have high cleanliness and safety requirements," he bit out. "Had to be sure-"

"I'm sure," Flint said steadily. "However, judging by how precise you seem, if you saw our kitchen you wouldn't accept us, so let's not waste each others time."

"Of course." Black didn't even try any fake protests; they knew they had lost this round; whatever that round was they had come here for. He motioned to his partner to follow, and in less than a minute they were out the door.

Three minutes later, Flint and Romaji had sent the last of their patrons away, and they fell upon themselves in rapid discussion. Who were they? What could they have wanted? How much did they know?

"Filthy guests, too," Romaji added offhandedly. "Look at all this litter they've brought onto the floor."

Flint rubbed his temple. "Stay on topic, why didn't Source M report we might be being investigated?"

"She did tell us the acting-Hokage Shikamaru had been browsing blueprints of the Quadrant," Romaji mused. "He could have hired the two to investigate us."

"That was a few days ago, why wait so long?"

"Maybe he was gathering more information, or he was busy. There's been a lot going on, with the Universal Voice Movement up in arms and the village being split into factions over who does what."

Flint laughed humorously. It was, after all, as Lord S had predicted: the weakness and gullibility of people. When he had joined the Cause, he had wanted a better life for his village, his only son. Killing had been something he had gotten used in service, manipulating people a second nature. Lord S had armed him with a better purpose, and sent him on a course to use those abilities to further their Cause.

Romaji shook his head. "Those two brought in quite the mess too, hardly the official type. Here, help me sweep up all this crap."

They both grabbed mops, and wiped the golden grains off the floor- no, not just any golden grains. _Sand._

Flint swore viciously, dropped the mop. Romaji instantly went to a kunai knife at his side, looking around. "What is it?" he hissed.

"I know where've I've seen the one with the red hair before. It was the Fourth Kazekage, I recognized him from the Jinchuuriki Reports we were given. He specializes in sand, remember?"

The other looked worried. "Yeah, so?"

" _So_ ," Flint ranted on impatiently, beginning to pace. "He can use the sand anyway he likes? Sand clones, colored to look exactly like him? If he can create entire beings out of the infernal stuff, who's to say he couldn't add a stupid beard or Six Paths knows whatever."

"And his friend," Romaji said with dawning realization. "It was Shikamaru Nara, wasn't it? Isn't he married to the Kazekage's sister?"

"Yeah, bet they're real chummy friends," Flint grumbled. He curled and uncurled his fists, not sure what to do. "So little old Shikamaru told the Kazekage, the only one he could absolutely trust to do something inconspicuous, about some power fluctuations and missing electricians, did he? Perfect, just what we need."

"So they're onto us?"

Flint thought hard about. The way they had asked about the electricity, Shikamaru's confused expression when he saw the room was fine, and left as quickly as they could. "...no, I don't think so. Otherwise they would've come in with some sort of warrant. No, they don't know _what's_ wrong, but they know _something_ is. So they're trying to do find out unofficially." Surprising even himself, he smiled. "Bet they think they're real cute, trying to look like real infiltrator professionals. Ironic."

"So what should we do?"

Flint smiled tightly, again without any trace of humor. He personally had avoided killing unless necessary, especially when it came to the innocent.

But, as he knew so well, sometimes bad things had to be done for good things to happen. _Today, tomorrow, then it begins._ "They can't do anything more, and what can they prove in the space of two days? No, by the time they even catch a whiff of what we're up too, it'll be too late."

"For all of them."

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

They sat in dull silence. The cafe they had decided to settle in was full of life, of course; it was hard to blot out the argument going on outside the place, where some Kusagakure shinobi were loudly protesting their removal from the premises by Konoha-nin police. Commoners were staring, apprehensive, other shinobi looked on with encouragement or disgust.

But there was nothing quite so lively between them. "They concealed everything rather well, didn't they?" Gaara murmured for the fourth time. "Couldn't get a single peep out of them."

Shikamaru shook his head, feeling his sandy, scratchy beard. Their disguises seemed to have worked, at the very least. "I never would've guessed they were such good liars, they looked so… I don't know, _gullible_ when I first gave them the damn restaurant!"

"If they could lie to us as easily as they did now, then they lied to you just as easily then." Gaara finished his tea and remained silent for some time. "There's nothing more we can do."

"What makes you say that? Let's go back tomorrow as patrons, see if we can learn more!"

"They'll be wary to us now, they won that round very easily. The only thing I can detect that went wrong was when you tried to get into the electric closet. That one with the black hair tried to stop you, but the other let you go in anyways. Obviously, Black Hair thought something wasn't concealed, but it was."

"So how do we get back in?" Shikamaru said furiously.

"We can't," he replied heavily. "You can't force your way in- imagine what these crowds will do if they find out Leaf-shinobi broke into a restaurant without any reasonable suspicion- you can't say what we just did was official either. No, getting in through the law won't get you anywhere."

Shikamaru noticed the change. "You said 'you.' You're not going to help?"

Gaara sighed. "I need to revise the speech I'm going to make at the Summit, as well as look through the documents the other Kages have presented me to look over. I enjoyed the one night of being like a normal shinobi again, but I must attend to my village's duties now."

"I understand," Shikamaru said glumly. _Not only did we not get anywhere today, but now I have to try and get somewhere alone?_

Gaara stood up, and Shikamaru matched his movements and they clasped each other's hands in a firm goodbye. "I will let you know if I find anything amiss," Gaara told him gently. "But I'm sorry I can't do more than that."

He put on a fake but charming smile. "Yeah, I'm sorry, too."

"Go to the bathroom and wash the changes I added to your face," Gaara added. "Don't think they'll let you in if they don't know you are you."

"Will do. Thanks, Gaara."

"Goodbye."

He left him at the cafe, and he sat back down heavily. _What to do, what to do. Dammit Naruto, what would you be doing right now?_

Of course, there was no Naruto to help him now, so with a snort of self-pity he picked himself up and wandered out the door. As it happened, at the very moment he swung the glass door open, a body was flung right at it. He jumped back, and the blur of a Kusagakure shinobi struck the door, smashing right through it to land in a heap on the ground.

"He swung first, he swung first!" someone was shouting, but of course nothing could be done. The fallen man's comrades roared in protest, and the suddenly in another set of blurs, the police and the Grass-nin we're in a fierce taijutsu match.

 _No no no no!_ Shikamaru thought desperately. _Can't you see this is exactly what this damn Lord S wants us to do?_ "STOP, STOP!" he shouted at them, but they did not respond. Even as he spoke, a savage blow from a beefy looking Grass-nin hammered one of the Leaf shinobi into the ground. People screamed, and in the distance, he could see shinobi dressed in neither Leaf or Grass garb rushing in…

 **"** **Shadow Possession Jutsu!"** His shadow grew blotchy dark, and like a growing puddle encompassed everyone fighting. His eye twitched with the effort, but he breathed a sigh of relief; he had stopped either of them from moving.

"Now, here's what's going to happen," he ground out. "You Grass shinobi are going to pick up your friend and go back to wherever it is your staying in _my_ village as guests. These men are doing their duty to protect the inhabitants of this village, which includes other Grass-nin. You would be wise not to try and start more trouble."

He looked at the Leaf guards. "And you all, continue your patrol. Do not follow these men; it was not within your right to remove them from this area. I'm sure any of you would've swung first under such ridiculous conditions."

None of them moved, but some of the anger and tension seemed to leave the air. He released them, and the effort dropped him like a rope. He clutched the building for support while the others hastily picked themselves up. The incoming shinobi, whom he could see were from the Stones Village, recently confessed sympathizers to Lord S, paused as they saw the Grass-nin pick up their friend and cart him off with a sour look at Shikamaru.

The instigating guard looked at him with relief. "Thanks, Shikamaru, I just got a little overexcited is all-"

"Well, we don't have the luxury to be overbearing anymore," Shikamaru retorted. "In case you didn't know, the Universal Voice Movement is all over the city, already campaigning in front of where the Kages are staying at! They're all primed to turn on everyone, and you almost gave them a reason!"

With a look of shame, the one who had punched the Grass-nin lowered his head. His comrades gave Shikamaru a less welcoming look, then went back to their patrol, calling for the onlookers to get on with their business.

With a sigh, Shikamaru ambled over to the Hokage's Office to get on with his regular duties. _The Summit's in three days, a time when we're all supposed to be brought together. But if we're all being so determinedly pulled apart, how can we survive?_

 **XXX**

 **Todo**

There was nothing to do but wait. Wait, wait, wait. The clock in front of him, elevated so that as he lay down on his bed he could watch it comfortably, ticked little by little round and round.

His men were getting restless. No news had penetrated their little hideaway, save for a commoner whom had managed to climb his way into the meteor crater and found their little hideaway. After prying off him that he had come alone, and as much information they could before he finally passed out, they removed him.

And they were restless. He had stopped trying to control them unless they grew to loud; already their numbers had thinned terrifically as the the wilder ones destroyed those of weaker faith and build. Every now and then he would emerge from his sanctum and kill someone to remind them all who was in charge, but otherwise they were left to their own conventions, growing more savage by the hour.

Two days seemed so far. But when Flint and his squad finished their mission, they would know. And then blood would stain Konoha that from space one could see only a red stain on the planet where the village once was.

 _Tick- tock tick-tock tick-tock_. Time, time time. Time to wait, and then time to… what? Slaughter? Or was it to rebuild? Sometimes he wasn't sure. But he did remember that he was his man now; Lord S had finally made the mistake he had been waiting for. He, Todo, was in control now, of these men who were terrified of _him_ , not some freak wearing a mask.

Fear gave control: it was a basic principle even he, with his horrifically unhinged mind, could understand. Part of him seemed to guess, even knew, something was different, something the "lesson" from Kotoamatsukami had so forcefully plugged into him.

The clock struck midnight. There was only today left, and then tomorrow.

The world was waiting for him, for violence. For peace to exist, there had to be the violence that created the _need_ for peace. His and Lord S' plan as one-

 _Isn't the student supposed to learn and evolve?_ Yes, he imagined not even Lord S would be able to suppress his surprise when he learned just how magnificently he had evolved the original plan.

 _Tick-tock tick-tock_ : countdown to destruction.


	24. Chapter 22- Wilted Flower

**Review Response: (Yeah I get these are pretty late, but I feel I should've been doing this looooong ago, so uh why not start now I suppose)**

 **VIEWS:** In all honesty I really need to use Japanese names, as you're right it does ruin the immersion of the story, doesn't it? But the reason I use American names is because its simply what I grew up with; Naruto was the only anime I ever truly watched, and even that was more of a hobby. I learned while writing my first fanfiction that even as I tried to write in Japanese names, I subconsciously changed their names to American ones without me even realizing, I guess because they were just names I really accustomed to their characters. Even in this story, the character Todo I accidentally rewrote as "Dent," accidentally in Chapter 15, and I only just recently changed it back to Todo seeing the mistake. All in all, it's just a horrible reflexive behavior of mine that even when I try to break, I just repeat horribly.

 **naruhinakiralacus:** Thanks for saying how much you like the story! Here's your chapter :)

 **Lock On London:** Thank you, that chapter and the one after are ones I've been planning out for some time since Gaara and Shikamaru never really interact a lot. Glad you enjoyed it!

 **Now that my conscience feels better, here's the chapter:**

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Outskirts of Konohagakure**

Under the cover of night, they trudged their way up through the same fateful mountain pass as before, and by the morning of the next day, they were crossing the border. Their Takigakure escorts took leave, save for four who insisted that they accompany them to the village itself. They were quiet and kept to themselves, save for the child of the missing-nin, who had adopted a firm friendship with Sarada.

It made her happy, and so he let it be. There might not be a lot of happiness in her near future.

The second night of their journey, the night before they would arrive back to the Village, two days before the upcoming Kage Summit, he sensed a disturbance. He was with Sakura, in the back of one of the wagons provided to him. She was nuzzled against his arm comfortably; he had calmed her worries of what the village might be dealing with, and like always it soothed her and she was in blissful slumber.

He was not. It was impossible to recall the last time he had ever felt safe and secure.

But he could. The night before Itachi had destroyed the clan. Since then, his mind had been invaded by similar nightmares, haunted by specters of the past, always looking left and right for his brother, and then after, for the patrols hunting him, and then after, Naruto. Peace and trust was null to him, it was why he had deemed the alliance with Takigakure so unruly.

Tonight the feeling of something being wrong was high. He tried to feel around with his chakra, but nothing was wrong in the little camp they had set up. Was he just imagining something wrong again? Or was it a disturbance he was sensing from the village? It was not out of the ordinary; he had felt the disturbance Toneri had caused, and had acted accordingly to protect everyone.

Gently, he eased Sakura's head off his own and she sidled onto the seat well enough, still asleep. Moving quietly, he stepped onto the coarse dirt the cart had stopped on, and his sandals made no noise as he felt himself being drawn to… something.

Away from the camp, and he decided it was not some random feeling, but rather someone was drawing him away. He placed his hand on the Sword of Kusangi, but at the same time he did not detect malevolent intent.

The maw of a cave lay before him, an impossible darkness. The only color he could see was a single blue flower, slightly wilted, covered in the shadow on an outcrop so sunlight could not reach it. His hand came up, and a faint Chidori sparked in it, illuminating the rocky walls in sharp blue light. His feet crunched upon the stones and dirt, thousands of years old, untouched from before.

But after ten minutes, there was only more dark passageways, there was nothing here, he was just going paranoid with thoughts of-

Before him was an endless field, housed indoors. Endless, endless: an ocean of blue he soon realized were actually thousands of dark blue flowers, like the one outside the cave, except all of these were ripe and healthy. A hole in the cieling sent moonlight flooding in, and he knew water and sunlight as well, feeding an entire hidden ecosystem of life, away from prying eyes. He stood on a rocky ledge high above it all, looking down on the untouched beauty.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

He stopped to the point he resembled a statue in moonlight, then turned around, drawing the sharp steel as he did so.

"Konan?"

She spread her arms before her, showing herself unarmed. She was dressed in the same outfit as before, with the bright red tattoo of a star still displayed on her shoulder. But no paper shuriken were hovering near her, and as he activated the Sharingan, he detected no chakra signatures anywhere else but with her, the distant camp, and himself.

But he knew better, there were ways to fool the Sharingan. He held the sword aloft. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes flashed quickly, but for him they slowed down to understand that perhaps she herself didn't understand why she'd come, and that all the more rose his curiosity. _Not here for her precious Master, then?_

"I… I've come to ask you something. It's important."

"Yeah?"

"What…" her voice trembled, but when she spoke again she seemed to have regained more command of herself. "You aid that before Lord S rescued me, I was someone else that you knew. Tell me about… that…"

Of all the things he'd expected, among countless threats she could have made, questions about what her master had done in Takigakure, this was at the bottom of the list. How the blue-eyed marvel had lost her identity had taken a backseat in light of fight with S, and then suddenly he was back in the cave with her, Nagato, and himself, with the rest of Hebi waiting outside the cave. Young, reckless, self-assured: yes, his crucial flaws that were yet so prominent.

It was after he had killed Itachi, and Obito- then Tobi- had convinced him to join, telling him muddled truth of what Itachi had truly done the night he killed the clan. And then he had gone to Pain, secretly Nagato, the wearer of the Rinnegan and the blood-cloud clothes he had shredded away on Deidara and Itachi.

"They're losses were… substantial to us," Pain had spoke. "I would kill you here, and now, and you would not even know you were dead you would be destroyed so quickly, such would be the fury of a God."

He remembered putting on a calm face, though his heart beat rapidly and traitorously in his chest. The purple rippling eyes seemed to see through him.

"But… Tobi has told me how you wish to join us, and to kill someone like Itachi, perhaps you can fill his place. So, you shall. You and your little friends will go capture Killer B, jinchuuriki of the Eight Tails, and bring him back to me."

Jinchuuriki. That was what Naruto was- but who cared about Naruto? He was weak, a fool, hardly important. It was a matter of time before he did something stupid and got himself killed.

"You will go, now, and bring him to me." With a swish of his cloak, the pierced face walked away deeper into the Akatsuki base. And that left him with Konan, a woman he could tell was of great power and yet was humbled by the presence of her leader.

"Killer B is located on a special island in the water around Kumogakure. He is already a powerful shinobi; with the jinchuuriki he is made only more powerful. Don't underestimate him."

He shrugged. "I've dealt with jinchuuriki before, I think I can handle it."

"You have?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, he has the Nine-Tails inside him. I fought it when I left the village… almost killed him." _No harm in trying to impress_ , he had thought smugly.

Her eyes had darkened in the same way they had just now, in the present. "Tell me what you know, anything that might be useful to us. We are about to go capture the Nine-Tails ourselves, and I want it to go as easily as it can."

"You doubt your 'God'?"

Of course he had known he was probably going to far, and sure enough in a minute she was nose to nose with him, looking down on him with a flush of color on her cheeks. "I have no doubt for him," she had whispered harshly towards him. "He is everything to me, and though it does not know it, this very world. He goes through impossible pain to help others, though the world may never know it. I am proud to be under him, just as you should be: _never_ doubt him."

With a rush, he was back in the present. Konan had not moved from her spot, and her mouth was only just beginning to open; the whole memory had flowed through him in under a second.

"Tell me-"

"You were someone… who did what was right."

"What?"

He shook his head, and the sword point fell to the ground. "You were the right hand to the man called Nagato, known to the world as Pain, who wanted to reconstruct the world-"

"Pain was a monster who ruled Amegakure with an iron fist," she ground out roughly. "He destroyed the Leaf Village, he had no interest in reconstruction-"

"And I imagine your beloved Master wants to do the same," Sasuke retorted. "Shut up and listen to me. He has lied to you about everything you know now- before him, you were someone else. My friend, Naruto Uzumaki- no, don't interrupt, listen to me- he told me how he defeated Pain, and how after you came before him and pledged your support for him."

She laughed openly. "Now you're just talking in lies. Naruto Uzumaki is at the heart of all our problems now, why would I _ever_ swear support for him?"

"And where did this claim come from?" Sasuke snarled. "Your precious Master, who told you _nothing_ of who you were before, but instead only told you what to become after?"

Her jaw hung open, and another flicker of confusion flashed through her face. Sasuke pressed on before she could retort with something. "He's fed you lies that he crafted himself, designed to make you his slave almost! Before him, you were your own woman- you _chose_ to work with Pain, you _chose_ to support Naruto! You believed in them both, on your own. But here you are, swearing support for S like you did for Pain, except now it's because he's molded you to be able to do nothing _but_ follow him!"

"He was my Teacher," she whispered to him, her voice shaking with fury. "How can you- standing there- how _dare_ you make accusations like that!"

"A teacher?" Sasuke scoffed. "He's brainwashed you, like you're in some sort of cult. You have no free-will; a teacher instructs his students in what they know, then let's them be free to improve what they were told- think of every artist you've ever known who took a pupil, every apprentice to a blacksmith- they are free to think how they _choose_ to, you are being held captive!"

"No, it can't be," she whispered, more to herself before. "No, you're lying… my Master… no, he would never..."

"It is the truth," Sasuke encouraged. "Look, deep inside yourself. Remember who you were before!"

Her blue hair swished around her as a breeze picked up in the night air, and he felt a chill run through him. "Naruto…" he heard her whisper, and then the word was carried away in the breeze and was lost.

She lunged at him, and he brought the Sword of Kusangi up just in time, catching her kunai along the flat bit.

"I don't know what you're trying to do to me, I came here for the truth!" she shouted at him. "I would never declare myself for Naruto Uzumaki! You could never turn me against my Teacher!"

He shoved him off her, and she adopted a defensive position.

But his attack never came. He sheathed the Sword of Kusangi one fluid movement and waved a hand at her. "Fine, believe what you will. I answered your questions, there was never any guarantee you were going to believe them." He could not even understand why he had tried to hard to convince her; anyone as sunken into S's crazy plans as her was just to be dangerous to try and bring back.

"No!" she shouted after him again, desperately this time. "J-just- tell me… the truth…"

"This _is_ the truth," he called curtly behind him. "S took you in your most vulnerable state, and then molded you into something you weren't, something so different from what you were before that you can't even imagine what you were before." He shook his head one more time, and this time he felt a pang of pity for her.

"I think you know what he's doing isn't right," he said softly, still facing away from her. "It's that bit of you from before trying to get you to remember it was Naruto you had faith in to do what was right."

"And how do I remember who I was before?" she ground out from somewhere behind him.

He shrugged. "Everyone is different, I can't tell you how to change. Only you know how to find yourself."

This time she did not call after him, and he left the cave without any incident.

And as he neared the camp, he found himself doing something he had not done in so long, not since he had killed Itachi, not since he had felt such indescribable pain of killing his own brother. No, he _never_ talked to himself-

Sasuke Uchiha saw the wilting blue flower by the cave entrance, and said aloud: "I pity the fool."


	25. Chapter 23- The Second Option

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Somewhere in the Land of Fire**

The stone memorial he had erected for his long dead sensei stood untouched. Miraculously, the paper flowers Konan had given to him before he departure were more or less in the same he had wandered to here, he couldn't understand, not when it was pitch black all around him.

Not that it mattered he couldn't see. He had walked aimlessly for the past day straight, stopping to drink from a small stream, to let his aching legs relax. North, East, South, West were all foreign to him right now; he had walked out of the front gates under cover of a large group, and then had lost himself in the woods.

 _What am I supposed to do?_ The plan he had formulated and acted out had gone as well as he had expected, but there was just no way to know what there was for him now. The village would be supposedly safe from S now; international tensions would keep him at bay.

Assuming S cared about them. S had made it perfectly clear he didn't care about international tensions when he killed both the Great Snake Sage and Fukasaku. He had not told anyone in Konoha of their losses- he was riding everything on a lie.

 _So I can what? Run away from it all?_

The tree leaves shook around him as a cool breeze filtered through and around him. In the darkness, he could hear the growling of stomachs, beating of wings, skittering of claws of nocturnal predators rummaging through the forest. They were ruthless creatures, would go to any length to get what they needed. It was not difficult to imagine some great big snake wearing a skull face slithering among the tall grasses.

His hands curled and uncurled with unspent frustration, born from desperation and his own self-pity. There was no one to pin the blame on, he was alone now. Trusting his friends with everything while he ran away-

 _Coward. The old Naruto would never have done anything like this..._

 _The old Naruto didn't have a family at threat, a whole village looking up to him._

 _He had Team 7, he defended the village from Pain? What difference was there._

There was nothing left to do, so he fell to his knees before the stone memorial of Jiraiya, waiting for something to happen. His spirit to appear, a distant quote to run through him, unexpected courage to fill him.

 **"Naruto, what are you doing?"**

He sighed into his head. _I wish I knew, Kurama._

 **"Hmph. You've gotten complacent. Terrible misfortune for a warrior such as yourself."**

The former Seventh laughed dryly. _I am no warrior, not anymore. I left everyone behind, my own son..._

 **"I've done worse,"** the enormous fox inside him rumbled indifferently. **"When a fight cannot be won, why bother fighting at all? I knew back then I could never win against Hashirama; he was too powerful, too skilled, even for a creature like me. It was only because Madara forced me to fight I engaged him at all. And look where that got him!"**

Fear clenched his heart like a metal hand. _So you don't think we can win against S?_

Kurama shrugged in his mind's eye. **"It is the case of multiple-headed monster, isn't it? S is just one of the many spawns of evil, in the long run, even if you kill him another idiot like him will only replace him."**

 _So we are doomed. The village won't survive both him and possible rioters._ He groaned and his body slouched into a U in the tree branch he laid upon.

 **"You idiot, do you not pay attention at all? I thought as you fleshbags got older you grew smarter."**

 _Haha._

 **"Cut the sarcasm, Naruto,"** the fox growled inside. **"Haven't you heard this argument before? Madara gave you something similar, did he not? 'There will always be Madaras of the world.' You'll never run out of the annoying bastards no matter how many you put down. Look at Shin Uchiha, Toneri Ootsutski. Who knows who else will come after S?"**

Naruto shrugged. _Hard to believe someone stronger or more evil than him can come through once he's taken control._

 **"You're not even trying,"** Kurama snarled. **"You fought him, what, twice? And that's it? You're going to base your entire future off two engagements."**

 _He killed Fukasaku-_

 **"And you surpassed that toad ages ago. Naruto, you fought Madara Uchiha and** ** _lived_** **. You fought Kaguya Ootsutski and** ** _lived_** **. You can't really believe that counts for nothing?!"**

The air grew chilly around him despite the hot fiery anger burning inside him. **"If you do, then what the hell was I thinking letting myself be convinced to join your side?"**

 _I... I don't know. There's no one here, Kurama. It's empty, it's just you and me against a continent who thinks were a coward and a Sage Master who wants to hurt my family and I._

 **"And the village?"**

 _They'll manage-_

 **"You just told yourself that was a lie. S will come for the village and your family anyways to draw you out, and when you finally pluck up the courage to rescue them and walk into his arms, then there'll really be** ** _nobody_** **. People like this S are broken by the world, Naruto- they don't care about it like you or me. He'll get rid of who he doesn't like, and then it'll really only be monsters left in this world to grow and grow."**

 _And you just told me more people like him will come back, over and over. What's the point in fighting an endless cycle like that?_

 **"Only the lives of those who** ** _can't_** **fight those battles- all those commoners, those inexperienced genin, they can't fight this battle. People like S will trample them, all because you ran away from it."**

 _I didn't ASK to fight their fights! I got chosen through some stupid prophecy- I got you imprisoned inside me by my own father, I got trusted with the future of the shinobi world by my sensei, my godfather. I didn't WANT any of this, don't I get a say in what I do?_

Naruto closed his eyes, and he was standing before the Nine-Tails inside him, standing on the lightly glowing water all around them. He began to pace in front of his companion, stopped, began to pace again. _I know why I'm running away, I think. Jiraiya was wrong, I see it now. It'll never be possible for everyone in the world to understand each other, it just can't. There'll always be a Madara or Obito or S. You said the truth: they were broken by the world, and they'll never want to understand it again. How could I have been so_ wrong...

 **"Your old sensei was too optimistic,"** Kurama agreed gently, though his very voice made the water around them tremble. **"He wanted a peace that could never exist: the cycle must repeat for our very way of life to exist. But you embraced the idea anyways, and it's worked. I'm living proof of that."**

 _How do you reckon that?_ he thought curiously.

 **"You convinced me peace can exist,"** Kurama said simply. **"That even with an impossible dream like that, you've fought for it all the way. You could have abandoned it and made a more forceful dream like Pain did, but you stuck with Jiraiya's. And always fighting for a universal peace, stopping those who would have broken it, has worked, hasn't it? Little bursts at a time, and then every time it's challenged, you've worked to bring it back."**

 _You know, you're getting to be really sentimental. Everything okay?_

Laughing, Kurama shrugged his massive shoulders again. **"I feel as if something's nudging me to tell you to keep going. More than just myself, of course. Maybe I've grown to accept your self-destructive race isn't entirely** ** _that_** **bad."**

 _Jiraiya Sensei? Are you there? Please, talk to me. Help me..._

 _Maybe._ He stopped his pacing and instead looked into the emptiness of the chamber around him. Was it worth it, these little bits of peace?

He thought of Boruto, growing up in an era where the Great Nations were allied. He thought of a future where S controlled the nations instead, and saw his son marching into combat against men twice his size, his skill-

And he thought of Hinata, lying in the hospital bed with undying faith in him, as it had always been. He thought of a future where the smaller nations attacked Konohagakure in a Fifth Shinobi World War, and how she would be dragged out of the hospital, out of their daughters arms to the front lines-

 _Maybe? Is it? Someone tell me, anyone._

The chamber did not reply. No ghostly visage of his father gave to reassure him he had faith in him, no image of his mother came to lend him her strength. They were both people who had done everything to give their son a safe future, had given their very lives to ensure Obito could not destroy the village with the Nine-Tails.

And now he was here, away from his son, where at any moment his own son would be defenseless to stop S if he came for him, would be unable to stop rioters or armies from walking into the village.

 _Maybe..._

Minato. Kakashi. Jiraiya. Nagato. Kurama. The Six Paths. Sasuke, Sakura. His wife, his family, his friends, his _village_. They still had faith in him, even while he was kilometers away running away from them. They had invested too much in him to build a future for the next generation, to ensure the peace they had given him lasted on-

 _They thought it was worth it, worth it enough that some of them died for it. What right do I have to give up on their work and let it go to waste?_

The chamber shimmered and vanished. He was up in the tree, knees still bent in penance to the stone monument. He quickly stretched his body out, crouched down onto the branch.

 **"Does this mean you've reached a decision?"**

He grinned, a reminiscent cocky grin the fox remembered from so many previous battles they had fought in. He could practically feel Jiraiya rolling his eyes at him through the polished stone.

 **"You know, we might not even survive this,"** Kurama pondered conversationally. **"This feels all to much like when Obito attacked the village. What if you end up like Minato?"**

 _Then we die protecting the village._

 **"And if S still wins?"**

Words only went so far. The action remained to be seen. _Then I've given Boruto and everyone else a good head start in resisting._

 **XXX**

 **Boruto Uzumaki, Konohagakure**

At first, it was only something mildly troubling in the back of his mind. He looked over his shoulder, but he was alone. Konahamaru had spent a good hour teaching him a more refined use of the Shadow Clone Jutsu technique, but he was long gone. No one else was in the training grounds except for him.

 _Guess none of them care about nightly training._

The feeling did not go away. The hairs on the back of his neck stood.

 **"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"** Three more Boruto's appeared, distinguishable in the darkness only by the faint moonlight reflecting off their brilliant blonde hair. They all grinned at each other, then all locked onto the scarred tree.

"One-"

A cloud shifted in the sky, covering the light of the moon. An unnatural darkness seemed to settle around the assembled Boruto's.

"-two-"

Their trembling hands clutched the kunai knives.

"-three-"

 _Who's there?_

"-RELEASE!"

They suddenly changed direction away from the scarred tree, and focused on a murky dark splotch standing a few feet away from the tree. There was no telling they had caught onto it, and all four kunai, propelled to puncturing speed with Boruto's chakra, all struck home.

The shadow did not react.

"H-hello?" he asked it, then stupidly realized there was no way it could've survived. Tentatively, he made his way over to it.

The cloud moved. It was nothing but a rather slender tree.

"I must be seeing things," he muttered to himself. "Getting scared of trees..."

"When there are other things to be scared of?"

He gulped, didn't turn around. "Maybe. What sort of things?"

"You're brave, being out here alone," S said instead. "Wasn't there just another riot close to here?"

"And how would you know that?" Boruto asked defiantly, turning around to face him. His heart was pounding violently in his chest, but he put on a brave face.

S laughed softly. "I have my sources, little one. There's no need to try and act tough, I can sense your fear."

"W-what are you doing here?"

The skull frowned. "Your father's friend has upset my plans. Both of them are being as troublesome as I thought, and I can't have them both interfering anymore." With a gloved hand, S gestured to the trees around them. "In two days, all of this will be gone. This village will be cinders, and it will act as a beacon to the world that they cannot hope to stand against me. But if both your father and Sasuke Uchiha are present, then they may just be able to thwart me."

"You're scared of them!" Boruto said, amazed at his own bravado.

"Never," S instantly snarled back. "Those two are _nothing_ , I would only have them out of the way. And that's where you come in."

Boruto stepped back, small hands clenched. "That's a nice joke. I'll never help you!"

"I wasn't asking." S stepped forward-

-and as the first step touched the ground, a hand came out and grasped it, firmly.

The four Borutos on the surface spread out around S, so that it was as if he was in the middle of a compass.

"You hid a clone in the ground," S remarked. "Clever, but pointless."

"We'll see who's talking!" Boruto shot back, and all four clones lunged forward, kunai clasped firmly to bring down onto the man stuck in the middle-

Inside the mask, Boruto saw two flashes of something bright red, and then S was twisting his body, arms spread out. He caught the two Boruto's coming on his left and right by the wrist. Instantly, he had gained control over their momentum, and swung them around so that they struck the Borutos coming at his front and back.

The real Boruto, the one in the back, recovered quickly enough that he dodged the clone of him being swung at him like a baseball bat, jumping over them, and again tried to bring the kunai down-

S crouched down, and Boruto sailed over him. He tried to turn around, but a hand closed firmly over the hand holding the kunai. "Move and I break your arm."

Boruto hesitated, and the hand closed down ruthlessly. The kunai slipped from his fingers, fell to the ground. At S's feet, the clone there puffed out of existence.

"W-why do you need me?"

The skull grinned cruelly, the red pupils of Uncle Sasuke's Sharingan burning brightly in the empty eye sockets. "What father can resist a son in peril?"

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

As it was, he was briefing Kakashi on the disruption he had broken up outside the café, having followed Konahamuru's report on Kusagakure spies caught and imprisoned on the walls when the chakra bowl, dormant for the past few weeks, began to hum.

"You've got to be kidding me-" Konohamaru breathed. "It's... _him_?"

"We're about to find out," Kakashi said broodingly. "Konahamaru, go grab the Kages. I don't care if you have to break in and shake them awake, they'll thank you later."

"And get Ino Yamanaka as well," Shikamaru added hastily. "She might be able to trace the origin of the message."

"Right." The fresh jonin flung open the door, and almost crashed into Mirai. "M-Mirai?"

"Was just coming to tell the Hokage I've searched the building for intruders," she said easily. "What's going on...?" Her voice trailed off as she saw Kakashi releasing water into the chakra bowl, where the liquid proceeded to shift and mold on its own accord.

"Thank you, Mirai," Kakashi replied tiredly. "There's no need to report this to _me_ every night, as I keep telling you."

She shrugged smoothly, allowed herself into the room. She gave Shikamaru a nod of recognition that made his brow furrow she gave only that much. Konahamaru gave the room a final glance before tearing off in the direction of the appropriated apartments.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at her. "Still patrolling, at this hour?"

She gave him a tired look- one that could not have been tired from just wandering corridors. "Security doesn't sleep."

He pursed his lips. "Right."

"Quiet," Kakashi said hoarsely, but there was no need. They had fallen silent as the water had taken full shape: Konahamaru's fears had been confirmed. The skull face, the broad shoulders, the muscular form of their new enemy solidified before the three of them.

 _"Hello, Sixth Hokage and Leaders of the smaller nations,"_ he said calmly. _"Yes, tonight the other Kages are snug in their beds in the Leaf Village, where in two days time the Kage Summit will occur. They are, true to their word, the only ones representing their nations at the Summit. The rest of you shall be in the darkness, again."_

 _"But for the last time."_

 _"To the Leaf Village, and after I have finished with you, to the other Great Nations, I now give you your second option. You did not submit yourselves to me. You did not surrender Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha as I asked. Instead, you saw it fit to manipulate the people of Takigakure to your cause, to turn them against me-"_

"Sasuke and Sakura?" Shikamaru murmured. _Well, who else would be able to pull off something like that? At least it's one nation we don't have to worry about._

The skull mask hardened with obvious malice. _"As I said before, the capable commander only gives two options. So, I give you the option to die."_

A chill ran through Shikamaru. He glanced at Kakashi, who's arms were folded and eyes staring with weariness at the watery person. Mirai seemed faintly disturbed; the only thing that betrayed her were her eyes, glassy and wide and disbelieving.

"But, I am not a man without mercy. I will spare the village if just Naruto Uzumaki himself surrenders himself to me. I am aware he has abandoned his post, but someone knows his whereabouts. Perhaps he is watching this even now." The lipless mouth curled. "If you're watching this, Naruto, then I have something to convince you to come to me."

S's arm went out of the bowl for a moment, and Konahamaru burst in the room with Ino Yamanaka. In the background, the thudding footsteps of more people echoed in the office.

"What's he said, what's he doing?" Konahamaru gasped.

Ino stepped forward to the bowl, rolling up her sleeves. "It'll just take me a second to get a chakra lock-" she muttered confidently, but no one was paying attention.

"How did he get him?" Kakashi whispered. "To slip in the village like that undetected, with our security so high..."

S clutched the arm of Boruto Uzumaki like some sort of hunting prize. _"If Naruto Uzumaki does not surrender himself to me in 24 hours, this boy, his son, is going to die. I will broadcast it to all of you, so that you may know how serious I am. My capture of the boy already proves the weakness of the Leaf Village, as well as its strongest shinobi."_

 _"Submit yourself to me, Naruto Uzumaki, alone, or watch your village die."_

The watery apparition shimmered violently, an Ino quickly put both her hands on the rim of the bowl. After a second or two, S lost his shape and collapsed into the bowl entirely into a harmless puddle.

"Well?" Kakashi asked sharply, sitting behind his desk.

"I only got a general direction of the source, no direct location," she replied bitterly, taking her hands off the bowl. She pointed to the west hopelessly.

"Which gives us a rather poor lead," the Sixth said, his tone equally deflated.

As the words left his mouth, the other Four Kages burst into the room. "Konahamaru came to our quarters, shouting for us to hurry to your office, Kakashi," Kurostichi, the Fourth Tsuchikage, huffed irritably. She was dressed in her night clothes and shivered nonstop. "You know how cold it is for me here, this had better be good."

"I'm afraid it's not good at all," Kakashi said heavily. "Lord S just broadcasted again, from the Chakra Bowl. He has directly implicated the Leaf Village to be destroyed if Naruto does not surrender himself in 24 hours."

"Impossible," Chojuro the Sixth Mizukage scoffed. "Konoha is far too protected, and who would be foolish enough to attack when the Kages are present?"

"Sasuke Uchiha proved it possible," Darui the Fourth Raikage muttered. "He was unexperienced at the time and yet he still caused substantial damage and harm to others. It's not impossible."

Kakashi folded his arms over the table. "Your villages were also implicated to be attacked."

"The nerve," Chojuro said angrily, pounding a fist on the table. "No one could have enough manpower to overwhelm all of us."

"People like Madara Uchiha have proved shinobi of great power can overwhelm any number of shinobi," Shikamaru injected hazardously. It wasn't his place to speak during an assembly like this, but none of the others seemed to mind, they were all so angry at S. "And our armies of shinobi are not as well maintained as they were before... S is right in that we have grown soft."

"Not Kumogakure-nin," Darui said instantly. "We have improved from even before the Fourth War-"

"We're allies, you don't have to lie," Kurostichi leered, eyebrows raised. "We are all in a mediocre state right now, hardly equipped to fight an enemy who is as elusive as Skeleton. Whom we still don't even the identity of, or where his base is located."

"Ino Yamanaka just gave us the direction of a location to the east," Kakashi broke in. "Unfortunately, she could not trace it to anything more specific-"

"So you're implicating _us_?" Chojuro interrupted angrily. "We don't know of such criminals, I can assure you of that! Her tracking skills are skewed horrifically-"

"I did not name you-"

"Who else is to the East, Kakashi?!"

"Perhaps we should investigate, as you're so defensive-?"

"Enough," Gaara broke in calmly but loudly. The bickering ended slowly, and everyone in the room focused on the young Kazekage. "Lord S seeks the disunity of us," he said. "We cannot give him what he wants, just as he cannot have Naruto Uzumaki. No matter what state our militaries may be in, I am certain if Naruto surrenders we have no hope of stopping this Lord S."

"So what do you suggest, Lord Kazekage?" Shikamaru asked into the silence.

Gaara looked at him. "When push comes to shove, we must shove back. Lord S cannot be allowed to claim Konohagakure, nor can he be allowed to sway any other nation to his cause. My guess is that he will attack during the Summit itself; we must take precautions to stop him there. We are the Five Kage, if we work together against him..." He smacked a fist down onto Kakashi's desk.

The Sixth Hokage nodded, and his eyes flicked to Shikamaru, Konahamaru, and Mirai. "You three, go rest. There is much to be done in the future."

Shikamaru and Konahamaru bowed their heads to the Kages in acceptance, but Mirai did not move. "I want to hear what's going to happen," she said quietly, her voice shaking. With shock, Shikamaru noticed she was trembling. "I-we, deserve to hear-"

"So young to be so high up," Gaara wondered, looking at her. She shrunk away. "You look tired, young one. If anything, you're the one that definitely needs to rest the most."

Mirai opened her mouth to argue-

"I'll take her home," Konahamaru offered before Shikamaru could. He steered her from the room without another word, and Shikamaru gave the briefest of nods to Gaara and Kakashi before following.

When they had left, Mirai flung Konahamaru's arm off her. "I can walk, thanks," she said angrily.

"Enough," Shikamaru said coldly. "Konahamru go, just go." When the other had gone, he rounded on her. "What's gotten into you?"

"N-Nothing."

 _I won't her walk away this time._ He stood in her way, looked her in the face, into the exhausted eyes. "I'm not buying that anymore. Tell me, now."

"He took Boruto," she gushed suddenly. "I didn't think- I didn't know he would- anyone would go so far, to kidnap a child-"

"That's what people like him _do_ ," Shikamaru snarled. "That's what they've always done- do you think Obito Uchiha cared about the children killed when he unleashed the Nine-Tails? Do you think Toneri thought about the youth when he was bringing the _moon_ down on us? They don't _CARE_!"

"I never thought it would go so far..." she whispered tearfully. "Never..."

"What are you talking about?"

"Source M," she whispered, so quietly he had to lean in to hear. "I... I thought he would do good things for us, he promised action, to make things better..."

A bead of cold sweat ran down his neck in the cool air. "What are you talking about?" he repeated, though his tone was much different, far less cold.

"He swore with Naruto gone, things would be balanced," she breathed. "I-I-I only wanted there to be something _done_ \- something solid, something-"

"No," he said wildly, and he actually smiled. "No, not you. You wouldn't be so _stupid,_ you wouldn't throw away the village!"

"I didn't know!"

"You didn't _think_ for yourself, that after S bombed your village, attacked the Raikage, that he would just let the Great Nations go prance through the fields happily?"

"I didn't know he would hurt children!" she shot back at him, suddenly violent. "I took the cost of spying for him, for a greater good, something _no_ one else had the guts to do!"

He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes wild. "No, you have no idea, do you?" he spoke, his voice getting louder with each word. "I thought- all those times in the Hokage Office- searching for spies- when you were the only one? You didn't have the guts for some vague 'greater good'- you had the guts do betray your village! Your mother, your teammates... me." He voice dropped, he turned away from her.

"I didn't know he would go for Boruto," she pleaded at him. "He promised some people would get hurt, maybe die, but that it would be worth it, that everyone would thank me. But he didn't say he would go for-for-for an innocent kid-"

"So it's alright if others get sacrificed," Shikamaru said flatly. "But if one kid gets taken away, then suddenly its wrong. So everyone elses lives are forfeit then?"

"People die all the time!" she cried. "How is this any different? It's justice, its revolution!"

"And so you added a few names to the people who have to die prematurely," he ground out harshly. He shook his head and made sure his face was turned away from hers so he couldn't see the tears in his eyes. _I thought I had helped raise her to be something better. Loyalty to the village, not to turn on it. All it took was some buttered words, and she bought in. I'm so, so sorry Asuma._

"The Outlaw Man Diner," he said with surprising strength. "They're who you've been feeding information, aren't they?"

"H-how do you-?"

"I've suspected them," he said flatly. "What are they planning?"

"I don't know," she cried. "They wouldn't say, they only assured me the Plan would be worth it, to let them know of anything important."

"Such as when Naruto and his family would be in their home," he said, catching on. "Or if your Uncle was catching on to their electrical experiments, enough so that they could cover their tracks for when he came knocking?"

She did not reply except with a sniff.

"I thought you would have your mother's insight and your father's strength," he said bitterly. "You inherited his killer's stupidity instead."

"Shut up!" she screamed. "Like you would know what it's like, growing up without a father, without anyone being there to support you. S took me in, he promised-"

"So I was nothing?" he wondered aloud, a new level of shock hitting him. "Everything I did... it was never worth anything to you, was it? I was just another stranger?"

"No!" she replied a second too late, and he began to walk away. "NO!" she shouted. "Don't go, stay, help me, help me convince Lord S to bring Boruto back, do SOMETHING!"

He stopped. "Why, when you've already done so well yourself? Go talk to your 'Lord' and see if he listens to you now. I have the village to think about."

He left her then in the darkness.

 **XXX**

 **I'm gonna place a gap here; consider this to be the second part to the story. Finals are coming up for all of us, we all gotta focus on them. In three weeks, I will resume placing chapter to the story in the third and final segment.**

 **Good luck on your tests!**


	26. Chapter 24- Play the Hero

**Now back to our regularly scheduled program. It's a straight shot to the finish folks, so sit tight and hope you enjoy this next batch of finishing chapters.**

 **XXX**

 **Team Flint, Outlaw Man Diner**

The first thing that tipped him off was when the commoner boy they had hired reentered the Diner despite having been practically shoved out the door. The bell tinkled, causing them both to lookup from the time schedule Romaji had just pulled out onto the kitchen's cutting board. Flint easily put it out of sight, turned to face the boy. "Your shift's over, Heikichi," Flint told the other coolly.

For a moment there was no reply, then the boy gave an artificial shrug and said, "I, uh, forgot a magazine in the main dining. Sorry."

Romaji clucked his tongue. "Make it fast, we can't close shop until you're gone."

He nodded and disappeared in the back, his pockets jingling with coin. With another swift look, Flint pulled out the sheet again. "Everything's mostly in place," he murmured. "The only thing we're missing is the confirmation the Kages will be in their suites tomorrow, and of course Source M will tell us about that." He glanced at Romaji, who was slightly pale. "You're aware of your side in the plan, right?"

"Of course," he replied testily. "It's just... knowing what happens at the end."

"This isn't any different from any missions we've done."

"It's not the killing that bothers me."

His tight posture, his pale face... "I can't think of any better cause to lay my life down for," he spoke quietly but firmly. "Dent knew it, and he died smartly."

"It wasn't his time," Romaji bit out. "But for us... we _know_ when it'll happen."

There was truth in that. Not knowing what else to say that could sooth them both, Flint wondered aloud, "Did the kitchen boy leave?"

"No, he's still back there."

"Heikichi, hurry it up!" Flint called out the window into the main dining. He squinted into the dimmed lights, did not see anyone there.

"Hold on," came the echoing reply-

"His voice his bouncing off walls," Romaji said slowly. "There shouldn't be an echo effect in a space that big..."

Flint was already walking our the kitchen, his footsteps ghostly silent. He gently eased open the kitchen door-

"Romaji," he beckoned softly. "Here. Now."

His accomplice stealthily exited the door, and Flint heard his breath catch. Coincidentally, as the air entered his lungs, the shape of their young worker backed out of the electrical closet, his eyes tense, and shut the door as quietly as he could.

That was as far as he got. In a burst of intense speed, Flint crossed the space between them and the boy in a second, his ceremonial- dagger flashing in the dim light. The boy saw him, of course, and he jerked back in instinctive surprise. His hand came up and miraculously caught the hand holding the knife handle, managed to lead Flint forward and past him, so that the experienced Takigakure-nin went stumbling past. The boy skittered to his feet, made a break for the kitchen door-

Romaji was waiting, his own kunai already swinging. A moment later, it was over.

"Bribed," Flint snarled, his hand exiting the dead boy's pockets and spilling the shining coin onto the floor. "We don't have to guess who."

"And the boy's movements," Romaji added, his voice taut. "Shikamaru Nara... his genin teammates, wasn't there a Yamanaka Clan member on it?"

The team leader swore viciously. "You don't think...?"

"I've dealt with the Yamanaka before," he replied grimly. "Subtle mind intrusion. Nara bribed the boy to search the electrical closet, and then had his teammate remain inside his mind to be sure they got the information." Romaji swallowed, gestured down at the boy. "This is different from killing some lonely ANBU, this kid has parents, a family. They'll make inquiries, the police could get involved-"

"Typical Konoha rats," Flint raged, sheathing the kunai violently. Their plan, in a matter of minutes, was being jeopardized. "No, they _expected_ us to kill the boy, or maybe just capture him. We were both right; we know that they can't get the evidence legally, so they're trying to get someone official to do it for them!"

"So what do we do?"

Flint considered their options, going through a calming exercise. But Romaji words echoed through his mind: ' _It wasn't his time...' could it be ours? Now?_

"Flint?"

"They're expecting us to be professional in how we handle this, to allow us to try and mislead the authorities so we stick with the original plan. So, we stop being professional."

Romaji looked at him blankly. "What?"

Slowly and deliberately, Flint unsheathed the kunai that had been passed down to him. The shimmering blue liquid in the pommel seemed to shine with a light of its own... just as the Leaf Village would tonight. "I'll lock the doors, you get the cables ready."

"You can't be serious," Romaji protested. "Todo's strike team won't be ready until the actual Kage Summit, to go a full day ahead of schedule-"

"Would you rather wait for someone to come in and get the evidence first-hand?" Flint demanded harshly. "No, we were given a mission to do, no matter what got in the way. You have your orders, Romaji."

For a moment Romaji looked at him not as a partner, but with the sort of downcast look an old friend may give another who was leaving him. Which was what was going to happen to some degree, but the details did not matter. "Please," Flint added quietly.

Romaji gave him a thin smile, then went into the electrical closet, where he could here the slithering and crackling of cables being uprooted.

 _Alright, time for the light show._

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

"Ino, Ino!"

She was on the ground, eyelids fluttering to quickly for his own eye to count. Her skin was going the color of porcelain; something had gone wrong.

"Ino!"

"Sh-Shikamaru?" she rolled the words off her tongue like they were from a different person.

"What happened?" he asked hurriedly.

"Th-they killed the kid," she whispered. "I was inside his mind, they reacted to fast for me to try and save him. He died, I felt his pain, saw his memories-"

"Relax, relax," he soothed, though his heart was beating rapidly. They had paid the boy to go investigate, that was all. Had he done something more? Or were they just that protective of what was going on inside? Either way, his chest clenched with guilt: they had sent the boy to his death.

"There's a hole in the floor," Ino whispered delicately. "They're... digging into the electrical tunnel beneath the restaurant, that's all I saw, all the boy could understand..."

"You did brilliantly," he said quietly. He looked around them; it was only a little before midnight, the streets were mostly deserted, though the lights of several buildings were lit up. It was the night before the Kage Summit; no doubt the Universal Voice Movement was plotting their move on how best to disrupt it. From their alcove just a building away from the Outlaw Man Diner, he could see hundreds of lights, both in the sky and on the ground. Enemy lights, in his very village...

 _We're all on the same side. I just have to show it to all of them._

"Ino, listen to me," he said quickly. "When you recover, alert Kakashi to send a detachment over to the Outlaw Man Diner. Get patrols running through the village, tonight might get ugly real quick."

"Where... where are you going?"

He smiled tightly, untangled himself from her grip. "To try and stop them first."

"You can't!" she immediately replied, her words slurring. She tried to move after him, but she only hit the ground. _It must've really messed her mind up,_ he thought sadly. He shook his head at her.

"We have to act quickly. I'm going in. If the patrol finds me in a... less operable state, tell my parents what happened, will you?"

He tore away into the building, concern not only for himself but for the village mounting. As he put his first foot on the first step, the lights inside the building seemed to blink off and on perhaps a thousand times in a second, almost blinding him. He staggered forward, and his hand miraculously found the door. He tried pushing, found that it was sealed shut from the other end. He curled his fingers into a fist, then slammed it through.

The glass door splintered, as did the skin covering his knuckles. Blood poured freely from them, but he ignored it. He was standing in the main dining room, which was now in utter darkness. His eyes blinked, trying to adapt to the lack of light. _Not even the moonlight gets in here._

"Well, we guessed it was you," came a triumphant voice from behind him. Shikamaru whirled, holding his arms protectively before him, but there was no one there- at least, he couldn't tell there was anyone there.

"Disorientating, isn't it?"

"Where are you?" he called into the darkness. He could see his hands, and the blood oozing off the left one. But none of his surroundings was visible to him.

A sharp blow struck him in the cheek, and he stumbled about, crashing into a table and its accompanying chairs. He managed to grab the back of one of the chairs, stopped himself from falling to the floor.

"Are you an administrator or a ninja?" the invisible man taunted. Shikamaru strained hard: it sounded as if the other was in front of him. He stood himself up, then launched himself forward. As his body stretched, another painful strike came into his side, but this time he responded in time. He landed on the floor on his two feet, wincing from the pain, then drew his legs around to sweep the feet out from the other. He heard the telltale sign of the other drawing his own feet away, his sandals skittering across the ground.

Shikamaru frowned. _How is he doing that?_ The sound had stopped; in fact, he couldn't even feel a presence close to him anymore. He straightened himself up. The darkness seemed unnaturally thick around him; it was as if a blindfold had been drawn about him.

 _Genjutsu?_ _No, my chakra flow is doing fine. What is this, then?_

There was the tiniest sound of displaced area. Shikamaru ducked, but it wasn't even swinging for his head. One of the fancy chairs struck him in the rump, causing him to lurch forward. He heard it splinter with the impact, and then a powerful kick finished him off. His momentum carried him forward, and he collided headfirst with another table. Stars shined in his eyes, and he dimly watched his arms and hands fall to the ground in front of him.

 _Careless, careless!_ he thought angrily to himself. _How did I get myself into this, I'm smarter than this!_

He gritted his teeth. _Only myself to blame. Now only myself to get out of this mess._

"Spent to many days behind an office desk, didn't you?" his opponent taunted out again. "You and every other "Great Nation" shinobi. It's _disgusting._ Too much time spent sipping your drinks and practicing wordplay, instead of practicing to throw a shuriken."

"You should talk," Shikamaru snarled, more out of frustration than pain. "What game are you playing?"

"Do you mean what we're about to do, or the nice jutsu you fell right into?"

So it _was_ a jutsu. If not genjutsu, then it had to be ninjutsu. "Why not both?" he ventured. His hand fumbled about in the darkness, trying to find something to hold onto to pick himself up. The sole of a sandal foot crushed his fingers, and he recoiled his blooded handed away. His hand recoiled painfully.

"You're a clever one," the invisible man said instead. "Poking around at our plans, trying to find out what we were up to. Why, when you never would've found out in time?"

"It was worth a try."

He laughed. "I guess so. You had your mission, we had ours. Reminds me of the older days when it was every nation for themselves."

"Can't say those we're better days."

"Nor can I." The other seemed to tense. "But before we can go forward, we must go backwards."

Shikamaru's eyes scanned the darkness around him. _There_. "What makes you say that?"

"Words can only go so far," the voice said bitterly. "Action and violence makes things go faster. And action and violence aren't what we want, but we must go through it anyways."

"At what cost?"

He could almost hear the other shrug. "The deaths of the innocent and the guilty. War and her servants don't care which of them dies, but they must."

"That's a cost with no receipt." His hand inched forward unnoticeably.

"People die everyday. It was the same as the past, and it will have to be repeated now as well."

Shikamaru couldn't help but think of what Mirai had said again. _She got in to deep with this bunch. All of them, corrupted and working for Skeleton, thinking_ _like Skeleton. No self-will, so self thought, only the illusion of it._

And he knew that in the next few moments, knowing he was about to either die or live to fight a little more, he send a thought into the emptiness. _I'm sorry, Mirai._

His hand, following his blood now hovering in thin air on the sandal of the hand that had stepped on his hand, now clasped it where the ankle should've been.

"What are _you-_ "

 **"Ninja Art: Shadow Strangle Jutsu!"**

Across his arm, a dark streak quickly ran across it and vanished into the nothingness in front of him. Rushing, like a black stream, across his arm-

"War doesn't care which of them dies," Shikamaru echoed grimly. "But the way I see it, the more of the guilty that die, the better."

 _Snap_. Instantly, he could see, or at least he could see marginally better. Moonlight flooded the room, and he could at last see and sense his surroundings.

 _Thud_. The body of his opponent fell to the floor. The sinewy hands of his jutsu we're only just leaving his neck, and the other contorted in a grisly dance on the ground for a few moments before he finally grew to an unnatural stillness.

And he realized he was still not alone.

"I came here with two friends," said the man he had originally sold the Kurai Niku Diner, too, the one had he assumed was the leader. The same one that had gone to try and stop him from getting into the electrical closet, and he could see why now. Like a beast with its entrails cut open, a rainbow delta of wires and cords spilled out of the room, all ending at the feet of the man here.

And he sat, cross-legged, staring at Shikamaru with a squinty look in his eyes.

"Dent died trying to kidnap the Seventh Hokage's daughter, and now you've killed Romaji while he tried to contain you." He shook his head with a sad smile, and Shikamaru saw tears in his eyes. "Lord S did not tell me I might feel such terrible pain on this mission."

"Did he tell you we're going to die on this 'mission,' too?" Shikamaru challenged, stepping forward menacingly.

"Yes," the other replied simply. "However, we knew we were dying for a higher cause, a better future for the next generation."

"And what is this mission you keep going on about."

He smiled thinly, and his right hand emerged with an antique looking dagger. The pommel held something shimmering blue, dancing about inside-

Shikamaru had never prided himself on history, but even he could not ignore the object before him. "That's one of the Daggers of Kiroshi, the famous blacksmith from Takigakure."

The other nodded. "Yes, I have one of them in my possession. Passed down, generation for generation, carrying out all sorts of assassination and murder with it. I hoped never to pass it onto my son, least he have to use it the same way."

"Nice sentiment," Shikamaru replied sardonically. "But I know what's inside it, inside the pommel."

He nodded again. "Ah, then you also know what it does?"

Shikamaru took another step forward. "Yes, two friends of mine went to your village some time ago to stop one of your rogue shinobi from obtaining a whole gourd of it."

"And why would any man covet it, when in the end it only grants temporary supremacy in exchange for permanent ill health?" His tone grew deadly serious. "The Hero Water, I like to think, was made only for those who knew they were to die anyways."

"Do you think you're a hero?" Shikamaru asked angrily, taking another step forward. "Knowing what you're doing, the deaths and pain you want to cause-?"

Of course, he had long realized, that his final enemy wasn't about to allow him to just walk right up to him. But the way he was stopped made him again criticize himself. But even a genius like Shikamaru couldn't have foretold the attack: from above, the lightbulb shattered as the electrical cable that powered it suddenly broke its way through the delicate ceramic, and in a matter of seconds had coiled around his torso. By the time he was aware of what was even going on, it had wound around his legs as well. He toppled to the ground, unable to move in the slightest.

"Romaji was right, you are more of a desk hand than a shinobi," the other commented. "Your own downfall, I expect. But where I could kill you, I won't, the main reason that originally I had expected Romaji to have survived up until this point, and I did not want to do this alone. It's... a lot to bear alone."

Shuddering, the other put the pommel of the dagger to his mouth, and unscrewed it with his teeth.

"No!" Shikamaru cried. "Stop, whatever you're doing or want to do, whoever you are, please-"

"My name is Flint," the man said, his voice cracking. _He's afraid!_ Shikamaru thought wildly. _Afraid of dying?_ "If you survive, please, do not speak of my name in the history books. For the sake of my son."

Shikamaru thought of his own daughter, safe with Temari in Sunagakure until they could come visit again. _Afraid for his children. He's unsure of what'll be at the end of all this, despite what he says he believes in._

"To victory." And the pommel unscrewed, and poured the small amount of shimmering blue liquid into his mouth.

 **XXX**

 **Darui the Fifth Hokage, Konohagakure Kage Hostel**

He was snapped out of his pleasant dream of cutting through wave after wave of White Zetsu in the war by the sound of his alarm clock exploding. Instantly, he was out of bed, puling a melted piece of plastic out of his exposed shoulder. He wasn't immediately aware of what had hit him, and he looked around for the room for any sign of an attacker.

But the spacious quarters harbored no other beings. His own guards would be downstairs, no doubt enjoying a drink and a game of shogi with the other Kage's guards. They were all on the same floor; Kurostichi was on the other side. Praying she wouldn't kill him for barging into her room, he shook himself, cast another cautious eye around the room, then ran for the door.

Or rather, tried. His left leg lifted normally, but as soon as he had, his right was tugged out from underneath him. He looked around in confusion, and saw that the cables to his lamp has inexorably wound themselves around his ankle, and was reeling him in like the tongue of some monstrous creature.

His hand flared with electricity, and he brought it down on the cable. However, it, too, flared with electrical power, and his hand did no more than if he had slapped it. And then he was being electrocuted, thousands of volts flowing through him, lighting his brain up like a firework.

 _Scream, make noise, get help!_ But he could not even scream: the lights above him had popped, and their own little cables had come out as well. They enveloped his head, coating him in pounds of rubber and copper. His mouth was gagged, and he found his body leaving the floor, being suspended in midair.

Muffled cries were coming from the room next to him: poor Chojuro, could the same be happening to him? His ability to hink was slowly leaving him, his mind was growing fuzzier by the second. His mind seemed to be demanding sleep from the waves of pain crashing down all around him. _Maybe just... just for a little while...?..._

 **XXX**

 **Flint, Outlaw Man Diner**

The Kages were all subdued: Chojuro, the Sixth Mizukage, was the only one to put up any ample effort, but even he was soon subdued, held in a comatose state as his electrical waves shut down their brains. No permanent damage, he summarized, but enough for them to be disorientated for days after the fact.

His body felt endless, infinite even, but he knew that was not the case. The Hero Water's effects would only last a few moments longer, and then his return to normalcy would begin, and then it would kill him. The magical liquid was not meant to be taken in such small quantity: he would die within the next few hours, and he had to make sure the Kage's remained contained until then.

He looked at the hopelessly tied up Shikamaru Nara, who was now actively trying to free himself. "No point," he said powerfully, his voice echoing impressively around the entire room. "It's already begun. And now, the men of Lord S will finish it. I need only-" he winced, his voice cracked. The first pang of the Hero Water had already begun: _No time for small talk. Have to do it now._

Still, it felt unfair to at least not give Shikamaru, who had admittedly been an entertaining opponent in brains. "I need only... light the signal."

 **XXX**

 **Todo, Crater above the Hokage Monument**

As it happened, he was enjoying a sandwich with nothing inside it- indeed, not even made of bread but rather two flats of a mushroom crudely crushed together- when in the distance, he saw the Southern Quadrant's electrical grid explode.

He stood up in a flash, jumping forward to get a closer look. There was no mistaking it: blue and yellow sparks we're being tossed high, oh so high!, into the dark sky.

 _A full day early?_ he thought quizzically. _That was not the original plan at all, it was to be the day of the actual Summit! They must've run into trouble, they must've started to been caught on. Careless, sloppy, mishandling! Poor performance all around, if they weren't already destined to die I'd kill them myself! Damn it all, this messed everything, Lord S's plan-_

 _But_ I'm _in command now._ He froze, his lips trembling, twisting, finally curling into a smile. _Not that skeleton-face wearing freak! Where is he, not even leading his own plan. No, it's my plan now. Destroy-_

 _-and kill-_

 _everyone? Are we really going to kill everyone? Man, woman, child? Everyone?_

He was already striding back into the Crater entrance, shouting for his men to put on the special uniforms. There was so little time: the people would be so fresh, ripe, like fruits to be picked at the right time. They would be spilling out of their homes, dazed and confused. People of how color, uniform, ancestry, age, nationality- so many types of people, so many!

 _Death and destruction. To make an example of Konohagakure for the world to see-_

 _Yes. Everyone._


	27. Chapter 25- The Return

**XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Konohagakure Outskirts**

"Out of the way, out of the w- Lord Sasuke!"

He was already strapping his sword to his waist. Night was upon them, but his sharp eye had seen the smoke long before the Captain of the Guard had. "Rally the men- assign a few to stay here and guard the genin."

"And what about the Takigakure-nin." The Captain spoke the village name with some distaste, and for a moment Sasuke wondered if the prejudice against the smaller nations was somewhat, however unfortunate, true.

But before he could reply, one of the Taki-nin came up to them. "We'll help," he said grimly. "We'll follow your lead, Sasuke Uchiha.

He gave a brief nod, then turned to Sakura, who was holding a wide-eyed Sarada close.

"I'll be back," he said firmly. She nodded, and he saw tears in her eyes.

"They never seem to be able to leave us alone," she hazarded out. "Always trying to kill either you, or Naruto, or the whole village. I think it'd be a fun game to find out which one is targeted more."

He could think of no response. Sakura had worried for him, even in his darkest hour. Had been unable to kill him, though he had nearly killed her in turn many times. But never before had he taken into account just how many times she _had_ had to worry- and not just for him.

"I'll be back," he repeated, dropping in to kiss her cheek. "I promise."

He left before her tears could affect him any longer, a strange chill running up his spine. A group of ten shinobi were assembled before him- he could see two more, along with the genin squad leaders, keeping the children away.

"Short and simple," Sasuke said to them all. "Go in, target anyone with a red diamond tattooed on their shoulder. Save the wounded, help the fighting, and try not to die."

No one smiled at the final wise-crack, and Sasuke didn't blame them. He motioned for them to follow, and they leaped into the forest, gliding across the trees like birds of prey. The smell of smoke heightened his urgency; he didn't have to guess who would be behind the mess.

 _They carried out their plan after all._

Suddenly, the wall of the village filled their vision. They projected themselves into the air-

and got a first hand view of the chaos developing. Fires had started in different sections of the village, although he noticed a higher concentration in the modernized areas. The Southern Quadrant was in complete turmoil- it was there, he decided they would go. Shouting for them to follow, the squad followed. However, they had not even landed on the soil when a pair of Kusagakure shinobi crossed the street in front, battling a trio of Leaf Shinobi.

Darting forward, Sasuke grabbed the arm of the left Kusa-nin and snapped it, making the kunai drop the ground. His companion, only just becoming aware of the threat, raised his own knife-

And was quickly disarmed as the rest of the squad fell upon him, beating him into unconsciousness.

"You- tell me what's happening," Sasuke commanded, pointing at the center Leaf-nin.

Bloodstained and exhausted, the other gave his answer in brief gasps. "On patrol... blackout in the city, confusion... attack, lost Sorosu at the Timuujin Market... haven't seen anyone since."

"Its chaos," whispered a younger Taki-nin. "I've never seen anything like it."

A companion of his snorted. "Should've been around in the Fourth War."

A colossal explosion in the direction of the Southern Quadrant made them all jump. "Why were these two fighting you?" Sasuke asked. "These are Kusagakure-nin, not terrorists."

"They were rioting," a different Leaf guard offered, kicking the one in Sasuke's arms with disdain. "Taking advantage of the blackout and the political disputes- I recognize them from some of the past protests-"

"Change of plan," the Uchiha snapped to the other ten. "You six- fan out and help the fire brigade put out the fires, as well as apprehend any rioting going on. The sooner we can stop these distractions, the sooner we can focus on the actual threat."

"Actual threat?"

"You think it's a coincidence the Kage Summit starts tomorrow and Lord S has been making all his threats to the Great nations? They're behind this, and right now we're more than likely the only cohesive fighting force. My guess is he caused the black out to sow confusion among the ranks and disrupt a counterattack."

"This is why _he_ gets to be a Lord," he heard the young Taki-nin whisper to his friend, his voice full of respect. Sasuke ignored it. They set out again, avoiding rubble and flames, hearing cries of the wounded and living. It was, in his opinion, worse than some of the devastation he had seen in the Fourth War- there was no mercy for the innocent and non combatants here. It was a cage match to the death, and that their mysterious assailant was behind it all further enraged him.

A colossal explosion on their immediate right sucked him out of his own thoughts. He jumped to avoid a piece of debris five times the size of his body, hearing the unfortunate shriek of someone who didn't react quickly enough.

 _He_ almost didn't react quickly enough to the sudden shape charging him. Billowing out of the fires of the demolished apartment building, a beast of a man smashed his meaty fist into Sasuke's quickly handled block, which still sent him buffeting through the air. His Sharingan swam into focus, and he got a good look at his assailant. The size of his chakra shocked him; the man's energy was through the roof, rivaling the levels of long-dead Atatsuki member Kisame Hoshigake.

And to his greater surprise, it was still growing.

 **"Absorption: Elephant Seal!"** The massive man had gripped one of the Taki-nin in a death grip, and Sasuke observed as the poor man's chakra was sucked out into the others palm, into his body-

Tossing the now unconscious shinobi aside, the man did a single hand sign. **"Wind Style: Tornado Blowout!"** His fist drove into the Captain of the Guard, making his eyes bulge. His vest became shredded by hundreds of slicing, almost micorscopic air currents propelled forward by the punch. Sasuke leaped down- too late- to try and help, but by then his loyal subordinate was gone, his organs smashed to a pulp inside his body, and he went tumbling end over end into the remaining group, who now scurried back in terror.

Sasuke and the massive man stood feet apart. The other was studying him inquisitively, piggy-eyes squinted. _Not the most intelligent, but looks like he can pack a punch,_ Sasuke summarized grimly. _Not to mention that unworldly Absorption kekkai genkai._

"You are Sasuke Uchiha," the other suddenly spoke, his voice a mixture of cold contempt and brutish challenge.

"And you are?"

The other puffed out his chest. "I am Todo. Reaper of Konohagakure."

His shape suddenly clicked in his memory. "You're one of Lord S's main subordinates," Sasuke said, taking a menacing step forward. Todo, however, did not react. "You were recognizable from the shots of you destroying the Hokage Monument. You've got a lot to answer for."

"Perhaps it is you who must answer," Todo answered, his voice leaning towards the cool and controlled. "Countless crimes against the smaller nations, while the Five relish in the spoils!"

He sounded like a horribly programmed audio machine. Sasuke shook his head and extended the Sword of Kusangi. "I don't care what you say, you're not going to-" He brought the sword up in a defensive stroke, channeling a Chidori through it to block the unexpected charge of the other.

Sasuke shoved him off, drew himself in for a killing blow. However, Todo moved with surprising speed, twisting through the air to land a few feet away. Nonplussed, Sasuke took a deep breath and angled the sword in a defensive position.

Something was beginning to shimmer around Todo's form- chakra, Wind Transformation. _Reminds me of the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Style Armor,_ Sasuke thought distantly. _My Chidori back then was able to pierce it- now, if it's anything like that Armor, I should be able to bypass it easily._

He retracted the Sword, replacing it with a coronal sheen that played around in the palm of his hand. His Sharingan homed in on the other, who was staring with idle curiosity-

He had flickered to above Sasuke's head, and he rolled forward to avoid a ground-cracking blow. The earth beneath him trembled, and he fought for balance. Todo, however, wasn't interested in giving that chance. A sort of bloodlust had taken over his face- gone was the vainly attempted cool words he might have expected from S. Now it was just a man lost in blood, killing everything in his path.

Sasuke wondered how many others were like him.

With the Sharingan active, he ducked the incoming blow and sent the Chidori to pierce through the other through his armpit up-

The connection of the two chakras shook him, and he fought for control. As unbelievable as it was, the Wind Style Armor was strong enough to hold his Chidori back. _Must be all the chakra he's been taking in- agh!_

With a cry of triumph, Todo's other arm backhanded Sasuke away, and he tripped on some debris. The Chidori flickered in his hand, and he sent it streaming through the ground to try and stun the other.

But Todo was already a step ahead. Absorbing the Chidori Current, his foot stepped down on Sasuke's wrist. "What delightful chakra you must have in you," he almost purred. "Let me have just a taste. It's so ironic, to use your energies against your village, friends, fam-. _Family._ You have a wife and child, don't you? Yes, your eyes betray your sudden fear for them." The way his voice had so suddenly slid into the S-like modulation sent a chill involuntarily up his spine. "Perhaps I should give them a special treatment, Sasuke Uchiha. I'm sure they would understand, with Daddy about to die-"

The threat to his family sent power surging back to his hand. Forcing Todo's foot off his arm, he brought his leg up and delivered a _crack_ ing strike to Todo's chin that sent him high into the sky-

 **"CHIDORI!"** He jumped after, bringing the jutsu to bear at the other's throat-

 **"Rasengan!"** A different force struck Todo from behind in the lower back, knocking his upper chest into the Chidori instead. The giant man gave a bloodcurling scream, and his hands curiously enough went to his head instead of his town double-gaping wounds. Sasuke and his assistant landed peacefully on the ground, while Todo's writhing form crashed into a pile of concrete, where he disappeared from view.

But that was not Sasuke's concern anymore. "Good timing, like always."

"Ah, well, Team 7 habits are hard to lose," Naruto said. His smile, however, was artificial. "I've been through the village. It's chaotic- people of all villages are fighting each other. The Southern Quadrant had been the worst, and I can't detect the presence of the other Kage anywhere."

Sasuke's heart stopped for a moment. "You mean they're-?"

"I'm not sure," Naruto replied testily. "But we have to find out, quickly. Search the visitation buildings, then after begin hunting down the insurgents as best you can. I noticed some of S's symbol tattooed on ripped shoulder sleeves- no doubt so they can identify each other when anyone else wouldn't give it a second thought in a chaotic situation."

"A well thought out plan," Sasuke snarled. "Have they been playing us for fools all this time?"

"There's still time to stop damage," Naruto retorted. "Come on, let's- _DOWN!"_

He tackled Sasuke to the ground, who for a moment wildly thought Todo had reemerged. However, it was nothing of the sort.

"I didn't come to fight," Konan said sharply, her blue hair blowing around her like ocean water. Her papery wings folded behind her, bringing her to the ground. Sasuke pushed himself ahead of Naruto, who's hands had curled into fists.

"What did you come for, then?"

"I..." she seemed on the verge of speech, but then her amber eyes flashed with control. "I came because I bear a message for Naruto Uzumaki."

The former Seventh now pushed past Sasuke. "What is it, Konan?"

Her eyes again flashed, this time with uncertainty as he said her name, but again she resisted her emotions, and her painted blue lips parted. "Your son, Boruto, has been taken hostage by Lord S to-"

The words stopped as Naruto was suddenly in front of her, his fingers wrapping around her throat. Sasuke noted with alarm that his Sharingan had given only a second of notice, and was unable to catch him. Hoisting her up by his synthetic arm, he strode over to a wall and slammed her against it while she choked.

"Naruto-!" Sasuke shouted, but the former drowned him out.

"Where is my son," he snarled. Konan was gasping for air, unable to so much as whisper a response. Naruto slammed her against the wall again, oblivious. " _TALK!_ You son of a _bitch-_ if he's hurt, if you've touched him-"

It had only been during their final battle in the Valley of the End had he seen Naruto fly into a such an anger. It startled him, and he put a hand on his shoulder. "Naruto, enough! She won't tell you anything if you choke her."

Reluctantly, his hold slackened enough for the former Akatsuki to fall to the ground, wheezing. "Where is my son?" Naruto demanded, though his voice, Sasuke noticed, had abandoned the rage and been replaced by an underlying fear.

"Uzusiogakure," Konan gasped, her blue hair falling clumsily about her face. "The... Village Hidden by Whirling Tides... or rather, what's left of it."

Naruto stiffened, but Sasuke did not react. "I've never heard of that village, and I've been to them all," he remarked. "You're either lying, or-"

"It exists," Naruto all but whispered. "I've... heard of it."

"Where is it?"

"It was the former home... of the Uzumaki Clan."

Now he understood why it had caused such shock for Naruto. Naruto, who had never known his clan. Not even his mother, a direct descendant.

"S made the ruins his base of operations," Konan explained, her breath returned. "He's taken your son to Mount Muzuno, a small hill that overlooks-"

"The waterway between it and the mainland, yes I know," Naruto murmered. He turned to Sasuke, his jaw set. "It's to lure me to him. To S, to fight. I have to go."

"I wasn't going to challenge it," Sasuke assured him. "We will take care of the village. Go after Boruto... and maybe stop Lord S, if you think you can handle it."

The light joke didn't so much as make Naruto's lip twitch. "I don't know who he is, Sasuke," Naruto said slowly. "But he wants to hurt me. And my family, and I don't know why. His anger is... immense."

"And if there's anyone good at handling someone's rage, it's you," Sasuke retorted. He pointed eastward. "Get going. We'll take care of things here."

Giving a small nod, his eyes grateful, Naruto took off, leaving him and Konan alone.

"He won't survive," Konan said quietly. "Lord S is too powerful, even for someone like him."

"You're still with him, then?" Sasuke demanded. "Don't you understand-"

"I do," she snapped. "S doesn't know what's happening here, the sabotage team started the attack too early. He didn't want Naruto to know he had Boruto yet. I came... because it was the right thing to do. That's what I always thought I was doing, working for him- yes, I did," she said with fire at his disbelieving look. "Sasuke Uchiha, the boy who thought by destroying the Hidden Leaf Village he would be doing the right thing for the Uchiha Village. S took me when I had nothing, when I _was_ nothing. I've known him all this life... before, I know nothing. But I do know right from wrong... and what he's done, the use of the innocent young to further his gains... it can't be right. It just can't."

Tears were forming in the depths of her amber eyes. The flames of the dying village around them brought them into great relief.

"I've come to believe that knowing right from wrong is what makes us human," Sasuke said at last. "Perhaps you really did not know what your life was before. But the way Naruto had explained it, you left Akatsuki because in the end you knew it was wrong. What they had been doing was cruel, a terrible way to live. You had known it all your life- but you were able to turn away from it then. Just as you're doing now... in that, I think, Nagato would be proud."

"Nagato," she whispered, and her flesh seemed to color. The eyes came alive, and Sasuke could see another word forming on her lips, beginning with 'Y'-

 **"Absorption: Dragon Seal!"**

The fat, filthy hand of a broken Todo clamped down on Konan's head. Too stunned to react at first, Sasuke took a rushed first step, but by then his Sharingan was telling him it was too late. The chakra had left her in an instant, draining her completely dry like a towel rung and left to dry in the sun.

"...ahiko," was the last word she ever spoke.

"Stupid, traitorous, _BITCH_!" screamed Todo, rejuvenated to frightening strength. "Talking to the enemy like they were your friend! I always knew you were a little traitor, no loyalties, what would Lord S think of you! I know what _I_ do: you can burn along with the Leaf!" He bodily picked up her flailing body, aimed to toss it into the flames-

The Sword of Kusangi flashed, took the arm off at the elbow. Todo screamed in pain, but his other arm swung around with terrifying speed to slam Sasuke away. Still recovering from the effort he had put to finish the cut, he caught full to the side and was sent spiraling away. He landed dizzily among plaster and rubble, heard the telltale signs of Todo coming in to continue the attack-

"It's going to slow," he heard the big man say. "Quicker, quicker! People need to hurry up and _die_ here! Killing one man isn't enough, no, no!"

"We need... a big solution!" He trudged off, seemingly completely forgetting about Sasuke.

 _He's mad_ , Sasuke thought. _Completely, wholly mad. What could have done it to him?_

 **XXX**

 **S, Blood Star HQ; formerly the Village known as Uzusiogakure**

The waiting was close to unendurable. The boy- the ironic heir to the wasted village he had claimed his base- was subjugated, having lost the will to break out of his cage many hours ago. He had resolute himself to sitting within the metal jaws, which was blown gently back and forth as the breezes from the sea washed over the little island.

Never had the island felt so quiet, even intimidating. He had sent all his men away from the Muzuno Hill, to let them have their little conventions in preparation for tomorrow. Flint and his team would begin their sabotage of the Southern Grid, and Todo would sweep down from the Monument and destroy the village while it was plunged into darkness.

And Naruto Uzumaki would come to him. And he would _die-_

He paused in his pacing, feeling the chill the grey clouds above offered. There had been a time, when he was younger, that he had come to befriend someone very much like Naruto Uzumaki. One who had done everything in his power to protect his village.

 _And I helped him._ Him... and Itachi Uchiha. The closest of friends...

And Itachi had destroyed the Uchiha Clan. He had entrusted him to save the village... and to do it, he had destroyed his own friends, family, comrades.

 _Never again must I trust another. Never again will I let someone else take my hopes and trample them._

Naruto Uzumaki was a lot like Itachi Uchiha. For a time, even when Itachi had become a rogue and S had watched from a distance, it had been a great distortion for him when Itachi finally died. A world, without Itachi Uchiha, the man who had ruined everything...

A world without Naruto Uzumaki, the man who would take everyones hopes and, again, trample on them.

He would learn to picture a world without him...

Something was wrong. In the distance, he could hear a steady pounding, like hooves upon the earth. And then, a screeching that made him start, the skeletal teeth clacking together. Something-

The clouds a distance away parted, and what looked like a miniature Sun suddenly plunged down. There were sudden shrieks of terror from below, from his men stationed as watchdogs in the buildings. His Sharingan swiveled into place behind the mask, and they burned through the normally emptiness of the mask.

His blood boiled. _Impossible. How would he know where we are, let alone I would have the boy-_

"What the hell is that?" a shocked voice came from behind him.

"Your father got the memo early," he said curtly. There was a colossal explosion of cracking wood, human terror, and earth-trembling impact as the shape- now easily discernable as an orange-glowing fox- landed directly on top of his former HQ.

It's loss was minimal. So the former Seventh had arrived early. It would only meant a main phase of the plan would be ending early Tomorrow, Flint and Todo and their men would destroy Konohagakure, and then the rest of the continent would yield.

The fox was devastating his men- meaningless lives- and coordinated defense had ended. The clouds had swallowed up the hole previously made in them, and now stark grayness clothed S, the Nine-Tails, and the cage holding the Seventh's son.

"Face me, oh Great Jinchuuriki," S taunted, undoing the fastening of his rippling black cloak. The fox immeaditely turned, and an ear-splitting howl blew at him, which would have sent an ordinary man tumbling; indeed, the cage behind him swayed violently, its chain threatening to break. S, however, allowed the howl to blow off the cloak, showing him in his simple midnight black jumpsuit, with the sleeve torn at the shoulder to expose his glistening red star tattoo.

And the Mask, albeit damaged.

The Fox was shrinking, becoming smaller, less unnatural, until a perfectly normal man stood before him.

Naruto Uzumaki leveled a finger at him, and S thought with amusement it was the angriest he had ever seen the other. "Give me my son, or I swear I'll kill you where you stand."

"You are in no position to make such statements," S replied calmly, although adrenaline was flowing through him like white-hot liquid. _The end is only moments away. No, the beginning._ "I will rather kill you here, in the village of your ancestors, and tomorrow the village of their descendants will end up like this one."

The former Seventh spat on the ground. "Got your calendar days mixed up? Your men are already trying it."

He felt the jaw of the skeleton face drop, and he quickly closed it. _No, he's lying! Why would they start a day early-_

"Your plans get caught in a twist?" Now the other was taunting him. He, likewise, was taking off his flowing Hokage cape, letting him stand before the Sharingan in a simple orange jacket and dark pants. "Perhaps this is what happens when you trust miscreants and other scum with delicate plans, instead of trained shinobi."

 _Control yourself._ "What does it matter the day? As long as the Leaf Village is destroyed, then my Plan-"

"The Leaf won't be destroyed. Haven't you been paying attention to anything that's happened? Everywhere, your people have been stopped by true shinobi. It doesn't take a genius to piece together you've been behind the attempted riots in the other villages, not just Konohagakure, as well as the attack on the former Raikage."

S remained silent. _Let him talk, it'll be his last words._

"You have this message, that our world isn't working, that it's corrupt. But look at your efforts; they've been nullified. You've drawn everything into the attack on Konohagakure, and it will fail against the shinobi who will lay down their lives to protect the society that made them what they are. Your plans are so desperately cobbled together that it's gotten me thinking that your heart hasn't really been set into this at all..."

"And what might that be?" The words came our harsher than he'd intended, but the careful control he had exerted over the many years was finally slipping. Hatred, uncontrolled and impure, was threatening to overtake him. He knew what the other would say before he would say it.

Naruto Uzumaki took a step forward, his hands held empty at his sides. "You want to kill me. The Nine-Tails can sense your anger towards _me_ , not the system. This entire plan has been nothing but an attempt to hurt me and my family."

"Untrue," S snarled. "You and your _lies,_ you and your _actions_ , you- you- _you-!"_ He was so furious he could hardly talk. "I will not see the world become another chessboard for the Kages and Elders to play with! The system _I_ trusted turned on me- but even then I did not give up! No, I entrusted it to one another, someone I thought I could trust to do the right thing! But _NO_!"

Staring at him with apprehension, Naruto Uzumaki stared at him, uncomprehending or underestimating, he knew the pain of the words. But somehow, saying it out loud was calming him down. "No," he said again. "Instead, the system once more turned on that person. The Elders saw it fit to preserve their pathetic niches of power rather than acknowledge the truth openly. But what was more... the person I trusted took my hopes and dashed them upon the ground. I won't let that happen again, Naruto Uzumaki. You are right in saying I was a fool to trust others with my plans- but I have not left it _entirely_ to others. Make no mistake, _I_ will kill you tonight, and then it will not even matter if Konohagakure is devastated or not. There will be no one left to oppose me- I will stamp out Sasuke Uchiha and the other Kages one by one."

"I won't let you do that," the other said simply. "I don't know who you are, or what it is you've been through to make you who you are, but I won't let it happen. This world is good, and I won't let you change that just because you think it isn't."

"Then I will allow you to die thinking that!" The sky sent down a bolt of lightning: the heavens acknowledging the time for talk had ended, and at last for actions to speak. Both figures flew across the ground to each other as the sky observed the meeting of mortal gods.


	28. Chapter 26- Naruto vs Lord S

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki and S**

It was a fight that reawakened crusted over memories that he had long sought to cover up. His fights with Sasuke, Pain, Madara and Toneri, and countless others. Times when he had been uncertain if he could win, but trudged on nonetheless, driven only by the knowledge he was protecting his friends.

This time, he was protecting his son.

There was a high-pitched whistle above him, and he ducked immediately, feeling the air tear as S swiped viciously above his head with a kunai. Naruto reached up to take his arm, then tried to throw him away-

Another kunai entered his peripheral vision, in the skeletal teeth of the other, careening towards his jugular. It met its mark, sinking deep into the folds of his throat-

Grunting, S spat at the kunai and threw the clone in between him and the other Naruto coming from behind him. The already defeated clone, however, puffed out of existence, giving him suddenly empty hands. Naruto projected his hand forward, where the glowing sphere of the Rasengan stretched towards the other.

 **"Earth Style: Boulder Trap!"** The earth suddenly jutted out as if someone had tapped a nail out of its hold. Naruto tried to jump out of the way, but the earth followed him, and large, blunt rocks caught him halfway down the middle, dragged him back down, where they proceeded to cover him like some sort of teepee.

"Don't think this'll stop me!" he called from inside, then slammed his Rasengan into the rock wall. It exploded, giving him enough room to squeeze out of-

And enough room for S's next jutsu. **"Fire Style: Dark Arson Enclosure!"** Flame entered the teepee in a writhling torrent, rapidly burning away the sleeve of his right arm, causing the skin to burn and blister-

 **"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"**

S stepped back. _Blast that technique._ Almost subconsciously, he brought the mouth of the Skeleton to a smile. _At least he's resourceful._

The rock trap exploded from the sheer amount of the clones expanding inside it. Tongues of flame also emerged, as well as burning clones. The popped out of existence, but many more were still emerging. The Sharingan flickered to the real one, which he could tell by how his fingers were annoyingly crossed, and the chakra slowly ebbed out of him.

One by one, he began to systematically cut down the Naruto Uzumakis. Shadow Shuriken splayed out from his hands, fire came to live in the shapes of serpents and dragons and roiling tides.

Not one touched him. The Sharingan detected where they would swing, where their kunai would land. More than once, their sheer numbers almost got to him. He felt a kunai knife slice through the back of his tunic, and a hand grasp and tear a piece of pants away.

"ENOUGH!" In an instant he had Body-Flickered away. It took them a long moment to grasp what had happened; his speed with the technique, Naruto noted grimly, was alarmingly fast. If the other was good enough, he could flicker into Naruto's blind spot and land a critical blow.

He would have to be careful. He watched as, up above, S released a barrage of flaming projectiles the size of elephants. They slammed into the many clones, throwing up dirt and grime and rocks. Naruto backflipped away from one that was coming directly for him, and a warning from Kurama had him bring out a kunai to block that of S's, who had indeed Flickered to his position to catch him unaware.

Pouring his wind chakra into blade like Asuma Sarutobi had shown him long ago, he sliced through S's own kunai, the faint outline of the chakra now arcing for S's throat. The other, however, used Naruto's head as leverage, shoving him forward while he propelled himself forward behind the Hokage.

They both stood apart at their different points, panting hard. They had been exchanging blows for twenty minutes, with neither able to make an opening.

 _We're lucky this hasn't been to wide-reaching, yet._ He threw a fervent look at the swaying cage he could see at the top of the hill. His son, he knew, was inside. But those bars would only keep him inside; if the battle grew as chaotic as he was anticipating, the cage would be more than a prison.

It would be his coffin.

"Surely you aren't worrying about your son?" The Skeletal face tilted its face, tiny red jewels shining in its sockets. "I can admire you being a good father, but I have no intention of hurting him- only you. You have my word."

"Your word doesn't count for much with me right now," Naruto retorted. Sweat blurred his eyes; he wiped it away hurriedly. When his hand had cleared his vision, however, he saw the small, barely noticeable change in the other.

"As shinobi, I expected we would be quiet balanced," S informed him casually, standing quite still. "A brief battle, to test each other's capabilities. Then again, I suppose it was a wasted effort- I didn't expect Madara Uchiha to fall a pair of simple ninja."

"But we aren't _just_ shinobi, are we."

The Seventh gritted his teeth. "I'm going to kill you for what you did to Geezer Sage."

"I was merely following an ancient teaching," S replied smoothly. He began stepping closer, and the clouds spread apart enough above for a glimmer of moonlight to wash them both ever. Throwing the brown shading around the Sharingan. Sage Mode, of both toad and serpent. "The ultimate showing of accomplishment in one's art- the student overcoming the master. I killed the Great White Sage as well; I have mastery over both Sage Modes and their techniques, while you only have one. You're outmatched."

"Do you like talking because it stalls me killing you?" Naruto snarled, fighting down anger. He had never met the Great White Sage, but to hear another death at the hands of Skeleton, on this quest to kill _him_ -

 _I need to get Boruto out of here for this._ Nature energy swirled around him, inside him. His eyes colored, changed. Slowly, he exhaled. _Focus it, control it, then release it._

"I was hoping you would give me a fight. How long has it been, I wonder, since two Sages actually _fought!_ " Naruto snapped his eyes open, adopting frog kumite, as S launched forward with blinding speed. Their wrists caught eachother, and Naruto swung with his other for S's midriff. The other simply twisted out of the range of the strike, skidding across the ground a few feet away.

 **"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"** Four other Narutos sprang out of existence, and behind his mask, S raised his eyebrows in surprise. In each of their hands, Rasengans were forming, growing exponentially. To the size of a melon, a grown man, an elephant, even bigger-

 **"Sage Art: Massive Rasengan Barrage!"** The Narutos lunged forward, their Rasengan to large to dodge, coming to quickly to try and dissipate-

 **"Sage Art: Slime Shed!"** He leaped into the air, and took one of the large Rasengan to his midriff. However, it slid past him with ease, not breaching the thin layer of skin he was shedding that was filled with nature energy. The Rasengans fell back to the earth and exploded in blue fire, throwing up earth in the air.

The real Naruto was below, looking up in confusion. He took the moment to his advantage; changing course in midair, he sailed down, putting as much raw nature energy he could manage into his fist. The Orange Hokage blocked it at the last second- _that's some good frog kumite Fugaku taught him-_ sending S's power-packed fist into the earth as well.

It blew them both apart as the ground splintered and broke. For a moment he was blinded, unable to see anything in the dense smoke now hovering around their battlefield. He did notice, however, a certain shape was missing from the top of the hill. _So, he took his son out. Must've been when I was distracted with dodging all those large Rasengans._ An elbow billowed out the smoke, catching him fully in the neck. He choked, smacked Uzumaki away with a flailing arm, then fell to his knees and wretched for a moment. _Wise, using the smoke as cover. My Sharingan can see his moves... but they have to actually see them._

Dusting himself off, he rushed forward. **"Sage Art: Big Flame Bullet!"** He drew two kunai out as the flaming projectile, larger than either of them, crisped the earth as it flew towards the Hokage. In his peripheral vision, he could see the other was sending shadow clones to get around him. _Poor chances._

He flung the kunai at the clones, then Flickered forward. The yellow hair was just coming into view: the speed of his Frog Kumite had actually dissolved the flames before they could reach him, and he was just clearing out of the smoke-

The fighting dissolved into fists and brute strength. The two Sages, with their heightened awareness of natural energy around them, found themselves locked into an infinite taijutsu match. Forearms became bruised, lungs cramped and gasping, chests heaving.

 ** _Get some distance,_** Kurama suggested gruffly, as tired as his friend. _ **I've worked up some concentrated chakra- a good Rasenshuriken might take him down.**_

Grunting, Naruto kicked out, which S blocked with an X of the arms; he kicked off of it, going high into the air. His sweaty hand reached up and immediately the air above the palm trembled. Then the chakra became to solidify into rippling wave, an orange-glowing shuriken with a hot sun in the middle.

Below, the throaty laugh of the Skeleton reached his airs. "I was wondering when you would get serious! Good timing- I was about to do the same!" He sensed the chakra buildup below him instantly- _it's now or never_. With an almighty heave, he twisted around and released the Rasenshuriken from his grip, letting his momentum propel it with enough speed to blur his vision.

The collision was enough to jolt him out of the air, and he fell back to the earth with a winded _thud_. Coughing the smoke from his lungs, he stood up as his eyes scanned the explosion. _He's alive in there... I can feel his chakra still. And... what, what's that noise?_

The smoke billowed out in all directions; his knees folded underneath him as he tilted his body all the way back. A dark, spherical shape passed inches above his face, followed by S's snarling skull. They landed away from him, and he whirled around, his bloody chilling inside.

"What... what is that?"

"Oh, this? It's called a Rasenringu. It translates to 'Spiraling Ring'." He cocked his head, perhaps amused at the thunderstruck expression on the other. "You may have seen something like it before?"

It was like a perverted image of his Rasenshuriken: in the center, a midnight black bowl that pulsated white energy was circled by an equally white disc, resembling a planet and its ring. In all his years, he had only seen the Rasengan performed by three other people: Minato Namikaze, his father; Kakashi Hatake, his teacher; and Jiraiya, who had taught him the technique in the first place. According to Jiraiya, Minato had invented the technique and taught it solely to them. _No_ one else had been taught, no one else could know-

"Minato certainly pioneered the technique," S agreed into his thoughts, and Naruto shook his head angrily. "However, the concept itself was derived from the Uzumaki Clan. They have taught me many things, Naruto _Uzumaki._ Things you never bothered to learn. So, I took the archetype design... and molded it to myself."

S's hand seemed to clench, and suddenly the disc began to glow orange, more chaotic and fiery. "Amplified with my Fire Style affinity... well, you can see why the technique was buried in the first place. Something so destructive must have caused fear to many-"

"What do you _want_ from me?!" Naruto shouted, hands clenched at his sides. "You sick, twisted- _MONSTER_!"

" _I'm what this world made me!_ " the other snarled back, suddenly furious. "You have only Konohagakure to blame for what I am- just as it is to blame for many of the problems that have plagued this pathetic continent. And _YOU_ Naruto Uzumaki- _YOU_ are the symbol of everything that's wrong with it!"

"So I want you to die." His voice was rough now, emotionally tinged. The Rasenringu rent the air. "Just die."

Naruto stretched his arm out before him, and the beginnings of another Rasenshuriken formed in them. "I can't die, not yet. My village needs me. My _son_ needs me. I won't let you do this to us." He tried, truthfully, one last time. As much as he hated the man before him, with a fury that was so potent that it seemed to belong to someone else, he wanted to try one more time.

"It doesn't have to be this way. Whatever the world did to you before, whatever it is _I've_ done- we can work it out. Please."

The sincerity in his voice seemed to shock the other, and for a moment the fiery Rasenringu flickered in his hand. For a moment, the Mask shivered on the other, and behind the fire, in the empty sockets, real eyes glinted like small, blue jewels.

Then the moment ended, and with an animalistic warcry, he dashed forward.


	29. Chapter 27 - Flint and Steel

**XXX**

 **Shikamaru, Outlaw Man Diner**

Uselessly, he struggled on the floor. Again, his movements were just that: useless. He was stuck solidly in place, held by Flint's chakra. The other man had not so much as twitched since the initial explosion had gone off. His face was lined with concentration while his body remained unnaturally still. The Kages, Shikamaru knew, were being bound well. Their chance for escape was nill.

"Come on!" he taunted, trying to break the other's train of thought. "Can't finish me off? Too weak? I killed your teammates, remember? Come on- damn you!"

Again, he was drawn to what he could see out the windows. Just pure devastation. He had no idea what was going on, with the villager under his watch-

"Your motives are evident," Flint said quietly. "And your frustration pure. You will not distract me from my goal however."

"To the gates of hell I will." He glared at him coldly, struggled again. "If I could, I would kill you now."

"I know." The face resumed calm, and Shikamaru knew no more talk was forthcoming. A tear crept out of his eye. There was truly nothing he could do anymore. _I'm sorry, Father. Temari. Asuma. Everyone..._

Shikamaru Nara remained on the ground, doing the only thing he could. Mourn.

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Konohagakure**

The Chidori Scream electrocuted the four assailants, the Red Star tattooed on them a clear sign they were fair game. Smoke coming off their skin, they crumpled-

While directly beneath him, the ground split apart as a hand groped for him. It grabbed his ankle-

Which quickly turned into a log. The fifth enemy shinobi looked around wildly, trying to find his new location-

Sasuke's hand came down with disgust, grabbing the other by the hair. Yelling in pain, he tossed him mercilessly to the ground, where he plunged the Chidori into his chest. The final enemy went still, blood leaking from his punctured body.

Final enemy in this section, at least. Tiredly, he looked to the family he had just saved. "Get yourselves to the Northern District," he said heavily. "It's the least untouched, and things are mostly in control." They ran away, leaving him alone to pick out more scum.

And to possibly find Todo. It had been a while before he felt such pure malevolence towards another being, not since Itachi and after him Naruto. The man was deranged, feral even. And he had killed Konan, his comrade, without a second thought.

Such things tended to upset him greatly.

"Sasuke? Sasuke Uchiha, is that you?!"

He turned his head. A young kunoichi, blood or dirt smeared across her cheak, was scrambling towards him like a lifeline.

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?"

"It's... it's Shikamaru!"

He invested his attention in her. The village had more or less been under Shikamaru's guidance, but the man himself had been noticeably absent. Sasuke had not figured foul play, but rather had suspected he had been incapacitated somehow. Likewise, he imagined the four other Kage were in equal predicament. "Where is he?"

She trembled under his gaze. "I... he's probably gone to the Outlaw Man Diner," she said somewhat lamely.

He stared back. "A _diner?_ You're telling me he's off having a drink?"

"No!" She was shivering; not with coldness, but with fear. Something wasn't right about this, and he leaned in, grabbed her by the shoulder.

"What do you know? What's going on, why is he there?"

"He's... I, I can't tell you, but he's in trouble there, I know it!"

"Tell me what's happened to him."

"I can't!"

His lips curled. "I don't have time for this." He opened his eye, and the Rinnigan flew into focus. Her body immediately slumped, her eyes also becoming Rinnegan as she fell into the genjutsu.

"Where is Shikamaru?"

"Outlaw Man Diner. Captive to infiltrators to the village. Team Flint holding Kage captive in Southern District."

Sasuke shook his head. Infiltration of the village, he should have guessed. The attempt on Naruto's children, the increasing aggression of the smaller nations. Lord S had played his cards well, but at least now this girl had forced him to put some on the table-

He recognized her, suddenly. Asuma Sarutobi's daughter. He remembered the long-gone sensei well, and that his daughter was apart of a conspiracy against the village he had died protecting filled him with such a dark mood he was almost tempted to kill her.

But he had learned beyond that. He brought her out of the genjutsu, and she awoke. "Wha... what happened? What did you do to me?"

He threw her aside, tore off towards the Southern District. But she followed. "Wait, what did you do, what did you see?! she screamed. "Don't tell anyone- _PLEASE!_ I didn't want this to happen-"

Sasuke stopped midstride completely, his hand outstretched. She flew neatly into it, and he held her there for a moment, his fingers perfectly poised to break her collarbone. Mirai Sarutobi went silent, tears silently streaming down her face.

"A real shinobi _never_ jeopardizes his comrades," he said quietly, not looking at her. "Not for personal gain, not the gain of others, no matter what their intentions are. The village is your home, their intentions towards you will never waver." He released her and she fell to her knees, seemingly unable to even stand anymore.

"I pity you. Even though you have endangered the lives of everyone, I pity you, because like me you failed to understand that."

He left her there. Everywhere he looked, things were starting to lighten up. The defenders of Konoha, it seemed, had learned who the real enemies were. Red star people were collapsing like sacks of potatoes, while other rioters were being brought down with more peaceful methods.

But that was on the outskirts of the district. The defenders were closing in on the chaotic core of the south. Which, coincidentally, was where he was going.

The diner was untouched compared to the other buildings around it. It stood there like a tomb; perhaps it was one. If Shikamaru had gone inside, he didn't see any way how he could be alive. The perpetrators would have silenced him for good.

 _This ends, now_. And casually, he opened the front door and stepped in.

Shikamaru shouted out. "Above you!" But Sasuke was already a step ahead; he almost lazily sidestepped-

And the vein of lightning from the dead light above him scorched a hole through the wood. His Sharingan saw the source easily; a man slightly hidden in the shadows, a host of electrical wiring in his hands.

He squinted. No, his eyes weren't reading it wrong. He was channeling his chakra into the electrical cords, all of them. "That's no small feat you're doing," he commented aloud. "Quite the chakra reserve you got, especially with enough to try and attack me."

"I assure you, I don't do it with leisure," the man said steadily enough, but with obvious strain.

Sasuke took a step forward. "You have the Kage imprisoned." It wasn't a question, but the other gave no reply anyways. Sasuke took another foot forward, which caused another light above him to suddenly turn into a curtain of lightning that tried to encircle him. He reached his hand up and took control of the current, letting the enemy's chakra fuel a Chidori. He charged, aiming to cut through the man's chest.

"Obviously, I can't let you kill me," the other said in the same strained tone. "No matter how adept you may be." Another tongue of lightning lanced out, this time from two fixtures. He swept the Chdiori in front of them, and allowed his Rinnegan to absorb the chakra-

Inexplicably, his hand exploded. No, not the hand, but the Chidori. It threw him against one of the windows of the diner, which shattered on impact. the wind knocked out of him, he wiped away a string of blood from his forehead, glared across to the seated man.

"Any sort of lightning in this room, I can control," the man said. His face lined. "You're Sasuke Uchiha, I wager. I can't tell exactly, seeing as the amount of energy I've exerted has caused me to go blind. You'll forgive me if I'm wrong."

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked somewhat lamely, standing himself up.

"Trapping you." The words had hardly left his mouth when this time the floor seemed to erupt. He jumped up, expecting some sort of clone or jutsu that he could absorb. Instead, physical rubber cable came from the broken floor and wound itself around him in seconds.

And just like that, he could no longer move. On the ground near him, Shikamaru gave a sigh.

"Sorry I have to put you in this way," the seated villain said apologetically. "No- actually, not really. I have to do this, sorry. Lord S's plan has to succeed, for a better future."

"A better future, huh?" Sasuke said mockingly, looking around for a loose object in the darkness. Something near the other, preferably...

"Yes. For the nations, for my own village, for my son..." Emotion cracked through the calm façade, and Sasuke's search froze.

"You... I know you're son."

Pause. "What?"

"I went to Takigakure. You are your men; they're the ones that went missing, aren't they? No, don't deny it. You fit the description Shibuki gave me. Your son is very worried about you."

"You lie."

"I'm not." He finally saw something; the body of another shinobi. Possibly one Shikamaru had killed, he couldn't be sure. "Your son has no idea what's happened to you. He came with us, in fact. To assist us in defending the village from you. Imagine that, fighting against your child-"

"I'M NOT!" The other man's voice shook like thunder. Just as quickly, he was calm again. "He... he can never know what happened to me. What part I played in this, the guilt and shame he would face..."

"Better he know the truth, than live the lie you painted for him- **Amenotejikara!"**

And suddenly, he was free. The dead body was now wrapped in the rubber cable; his teleportation jutsu had placed him instantly within three feet of the other.

Up close, he could see the sudden panic. "No-NO!"

Sasuke brought a kunai into his hand. He could hear Shikamaru's gasp of shock as time slowed. The enemy, the former Takigakure-nin, he would be dead before he could raise a defense-

" _I'll_ be the one to do this, thank you!"

And again, the same fat but muscular hand knocked him away, as it had in the village. The seated man and Shikamaru hadn't been registering shock to his movements at all-

No, they had been disturbed by the sudden entrance of the insane disciple of S, Todo.

"Todo, stop!" the seated man said in panic. "I can hardly maintain concentration, Lord S's plan-"

"Is void!" Todo's remaining fat hand fell upon the other's head, grabbing it like a ball. "There is a new plan, Flint. The complete destruction of this village!"

The horror on Flint's face remained as Todo sucked the chakra out of him as quickly as wet fingers on a candle flame.

Immediately Sasuke could tell something was wrong. Todo gave out an inhumane roar and clutched the side of his head, and then his arm wrapped around his body. His skin seemed to be warping, and the flesh bubbled unnaturally.

"Cut me free!" Sasuke ran over to Shikamaru while Flint collapsed and Todo roared and writhed. The cable trapped the Nara clan descendant had loosened with Flint's sudden chakra loss, and Sasuke easily broke through his bonds.

"What's wrong with him?" Sasuke demanded as they both turned to Todo again. The giant's head seemed to pulsate massively, his left cheek bulging unnaturally before sinking back in.

Shikamaru shook his head. "The same sort of thing happened with Toneri," he murmered. "He's not only absorbed Flint's chakra, but that of the other four Kages. He was sucking out their chakra to maintain his position; Todo's now absorbed it, but its too much for his body."

"Meaning?"

Todo fell to a knee, still screaming in immense pain. His remaining arm continued to bubble and fizzle painfully, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

But still he managed to speak. "F-f-f-f-finally enough p-p-p-power to do it!" He arched his head back, where they both saw his neck pulsating unpleasantly, turning a dark, raw red. "FUFILL THE PLAN!" Todo got back on his two feet and physically broke through one of the walls, out into the village.

"He's a ticking chakra bomb," Shikamaru said testily. "It looks like he's got it under control for now, but the moment he attempt any jutsu he could just pop like a balloon, only a lot more... explosively."

"Then come on!" Sasuke helped him up and they both tore after the fallen warrior.

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru**

It felt good to be able to move again. He wondered if Flint was still alive, from having the chakra sucked out of him so quickly. Even though the other was by all means an enemy of the village, there was a strange sense of compassion he felt for him. No, maybe not compassion.

Pity? He clenched his jaw. Best not to think like that now.

"There!" Uchiha pointed, and Shikamaru saw the back of the large shinobi. His clothes had begun to simply disintegrate around him, the chakra he contained in his body was so immense. Every shinobi had their max chakra fill, one bodies worth. Flint had had five bodies worth inside him; Shikamaru could not discern how Todo was even holding in the sheer amount of energy in.

Sasuke took out a kunai knife. They were gaining on the blundering fool, who ran through the streets like a drunk. With mounting apprehension, he realized they were running up the hill that led to where the Hokage Monument was being reconstructed after the terrorist attack.

"Got him!" Sasuke threw the knife, and with precision expected of the Sharingan it hit the other in his heel. Todo gave a an incohrenet yell of fury as he again stumbled-

And was buffeted to the left by the shape of a small girl- Mirai.

"Mirai!" Shikamaru called out desperately. "No, get away from him!"

"NO!" she screamed back at him. "Th-this is how I'll set things right. She looked down at Todo, fumbling to pick himself up as if his limbs wouldn't respond properly.

"Get out of the way," Sasuke said simply, but she shook her head violently.

Sasuke and Shikamaru stopped a few meters away from them. Shikamaru swung his arm wildly at her, motioning for her to move away, but she stubbornly moved towards the fallen warmonger. "I'm sorry!" she said madly, her eyes tear stricken. "I just wanted to try and help everyone, to try and make things better for us!"

"This isn't really the time?" Shikamaru said with frustration.

"I won't tell you to move aside, again," Sasuke said quietly; a sign of danger. "Kill him or we do you both."

Shikamaru gave the Uchiha a stunned look. "Wha- no!"

"She's a traitor to the village, here's her chance at redemption," Sasuke said with disdain. "She wants it so badly, let her do it."

"But-"

Mirai raised a kunai in both her hands, looking at her former comrade with wide eyes. Shikamaru realized this would probably be her first kill ever, she was so young. Shikamaru couldn't let it happen, not Asuma's daughter. What would his former sensei say, if he could see the scene now?

Sasuke watched impassively while her hands shook. The blade of the knife descended and landed with a _squelching_ sound in Todo's neck. The man stopped moving and slumped, the kunai buried in his neck like some sort of protrusion.

Tentaively, Shikamaru took a step towards her. She turned to look at him, her face pale. "I... I did it." She slumped forward and he caught her as she fainted.

"We shouldn't have let her do it."

"We can't nitpick over the next generation just because we know what its like," Sasuke said simply. "She had to atone for what she did, betraying the village." His eyes narrowed, though he didn't look at them. "You of all people, working so closely with Naruto, know how wrong that is."

Shikamaru looked down at the young kunoichi in his arms and sighed. "Yeah, I suppose so."

Sasuke nodded, then walked over to Todo. "I'm just glad this one is dead. All we need to do is finish mopping up-"

He broke off, and Shikamaru turned to him, alert. "What is it?"

"His chakra, it's still flowing-"

Todo's body suddenly puffed to three times its size, a giant glowing blue ball of stretched flesh that seemed to have some sort of internal light. Just as quickly, it returned to normal size.

"He's losing control of the chakra," Shikamaru snapped, laying Mirai down as gently as he could. Todo's body mutated again to an alarming size, then reduced so that he was standing on his two legs. His one hand clawed at the front of his body, while his mouth was open in a wordless scream. His skin seemed to be deteriorating rapidly-

"We need to kill him, _now_! Shikamaru shouted. A high whine was filling the air as the chakra inside the decaying body writhled around without control.

Sasuke said something that sounded like an affirmative, and he lunged with the Sword of Kusangi. Todo's arm flailed out like a long tree branch, extending many times its size. It slapped Sasuke away while the arm scraped along the hilt of the handle. It burst into flames, and the steel of the blade clattered uselessly to the ground.

"Sasuke?" Shikamaru scrambled over him, but the Uchiha was unconscious.

The whine grew increasingly louder and more distorted. Todo's body was reaching breaking point; it seemed to be driven only be the dead man's original desire. No brain, no sense of direction. Just sheer primitive desire to unleash the chakra inside it.

 _We're dead._


	30. Chapter 28- The Third Option

**Review Response:**

 **Libra-no-ninja9:** Thanks, I really wanted to make a villain who would be intimidating enough to make people think he was bad enough to face up to Naruto and Sasuke when we all know how powerful they are. Key to making a good bad guy is by increasing their threat level, and I think that I did that pretty well. As for the smaller vs larger nation conflict, again I wanted something that I've never seen been explored in the universe, and thought it would be interesting to write about. Thanks for taking the time to give a review mate.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Uzshiogakure Ruins**

They clashed, orange Rasenshuriken against orange Rasenringu. The collision started as a low hiss and then a high-pitched whistle as the competing attacks struggled to overcome the other.

S grunted as he applied more chakra and effort, trying to physically force Naruto back. The rings of his jutsu flailed dangerously, cutting through Naruto's arm. Likewise, one of the spinning edges of his own Rasenshuriken cut into S's forearm.

But neither relinquished their push. They poured their heart and soul into their own attacks, each determined to finally kill off the other.

Naruto's teeth grinded together. _I can't lose... everyone's counting on me!_ He eyed S straight in his face, and in the other's icy blue eyes, hidden behind the mask, he saw unbridled hatred.

Directed at him.

Naruto's own blue eyes, full of warmth and determination, refused to let it deter him. Shakily, his moved his other hand to join the other, trying to increase the chakra control of his Rasenshuriken. The air was being rent around them, the earth beneath them seemingly peeling away.

"GIVE UP!" S shouted above the storm raging around them. "I'LL KILL YOU, AND THE ERA OF THE SHINOBI WILL END!" He leaned forward, pressing the advantage. Naruto's heels sunk into the ground from the amount of pressure being exterted on him by the other. Behind the swirling masses of chakra, the death's head snarled down on him. " _Submit or die_!"

Naruto shook his head. "There is a third option."

The mask's teeth clanked together so hard one of the teeth came lose. S was losing; he had learned the Rasenringu and his skill with it was impressive, but it was Naruto, not S, who had been using the same concept for all his life.

"I could beat you."

S pushed forward in vain, until the Rasenshuriken had successfully cut through the Rasenringu, splicing through his arm. The thousands of wind blades finally reached their target, and the masked foe was catapulted away as the unseen blades cut away at his body, damaging it beyond repair.

Naruto fell to his knees as S slammed into a stone boulder, where he continued to be torn away at. Gasping, the Seventh coughed up blood, held the wound on his forearm. He was exhausted, so utterly exhausted, but he had finally done it.

Right?

He looked up. A trail of snow-white pieces made a path to the boulder Lord S had been driven into. His head hung down, blueish-black hair held over his face like a curtain. The remains of the mask remained at his feet in a large pool of blood that seemed to leak from cuts all over his body.

Naruto walked over to him like a blind man, stumbling, clutching his own many wounds. His footsteps seemed to take more effort than the entire fight, but finally he reached the other.

Miraculously, he was still breathing.

Naruto stretched out his hand,grabbed the other by his chin, and lifted him to look his enemy in the eye.

 **"Kotoamatsukami."**

A curious feeling rippled through him. His whole body felt warm, sensational, and free. He looked into the others broken face. The jaw hung loosely and the skin was a sickly pale. The only color came from his blood-red and black eye that looked at him like a dying ember.

"Take out a kunai knife."

Feeling nothing out of the ordinary, Naruto withdrew the last one he had. He studied it in his hand with polite attention.

 _Somethings wrong!_ a voice said in the back of his mind. _Stop it, finish him off!_

"It looks good, doesn't it."

"Yeah, it does."

"Now, point it at yourself." The red eye teared up a single line of blood as Naruto pointed it at his chest nonchalantly.

 _Stop, what are you doing, this is all wrong! What's wrong with you?_

"I've waited a long time for this, Naruto." The face studied him. The skin was as white as the skull; the damage done to his body was immense, he was going to die. "Do you know who I am?" Lord S asked at least.

Naruto shook his head, and a small smile came on his lips. The eye bled a little more, and then Naruto was suddenly able to place it as an invisible force nudged him towards the right memory.

"Sh... Shisui Uchiha?"

The ghost laughed, gently. "Not anymore. That's from a long time ago. I killed myself, you know. You read the report, didn't you."

"I did. Why this?"

S hung his head. "I entrusted everything to Itachi," Shisui Uchiha said quietly. "I trusted him with my remaining eye, to save our clan, and Konoha. Instead, he killed everyone. I know- I watched it happen. At first I supported it, I knew it had to happen. But just _think_ about it, Naruto Uzumaki." He breathed funnily a moment. Naruto didn't mind, though his arm was starting to grow tired from holding the knife.

Shisui started to talk again. "How wrong is it, that one must slaughter their whole clan to save the lives of others who are not even of his blood, just kinship? No, I realized how wrong the world was. I vowed I would never let such things happen again. I traveled, to learn the truth of everything. I learned the way of the Sages, to master Nature Energy. I obtained a quiet following; other disillusioned people."

"We lived through the Fourth War. More bloodshed, and for what? To defend the way of life that would simply send more people to an early death." He coughed again, and for a moment his influence slipped. The knife loosened in his grip-

"None of that, now. Not when I'm so close, Naruto Uzumaki. Because... I don't only blame Itachi for this. No, not at all." Shisui glared at you. "No... he trusted _you_ to continue things. Hiruzen, Itachi, and you. The three that insisted this... failed existence continue. I gave my life to amend things, but you three only aided its continued destruction."

He felt his wound again, wincing. His eye widened as if in realization, then closed as he faced Naruto again. "I've waited a long time for this," he said quietly. "Vengeance, for what was done wrong to me. To everyone."

Naruto could only find a few words to say. "I'm sorry. Sorry that it had to be this way. You didn't deserve what happened to you."

"Listen to you, sounding all grown-up," Shisui taunted. "Much too late. Even if I die here today, I die knowing the Leaf Village's destruction will fuel the small nations into destroying their oppressors. The Five will be a victim of their own success... I will still win."

"DAD!"

Naruto craned his head. Boruto was running over; his clone must have disappeared in light of his weakness. And now his son was coming to him. Him and this highly dangerous criminal-

 _No! Don't let S touch him!_

"Do it," Shisui whispered harshly, his influence gripping his mind. "You and me, as it always should have been-"

"DON'T DO IT DAD!"

Naruto wondered how Boruto would be, without a father, as the knife drew closer to his heart. He had gotten along terribly himself, without Minato around. They were one the same, him as Minato, dying to preserve this failed system, leaving their children to deal with it...

Boruto's voice seemed to fading, and Shisui's lips curled into a victorious, if exasperated, grin. Failure...

 _"I'm going to be Hokage!"_ His younger self, naïve and so full of himself.

 _"I'm going to protect everyone!"_ Standing atop Shukaku, fighting Gaara.

 _"We'll understand each other."_ Facing Nagato and Konan in the fake tree.

 _"I'll take on all your hatred."_ Confronting Sasuke, during the Team 7 disjointed reunion.

 _"We'll dream, dreaming our own dreams!"_ Standing with the Shinobi Army, facing Obito and Madara.

 _"If you're willing to die, live to help me instead."_ Dying with Sasuke, after their final battle.

His vision, still muddled, seemed to have Shisui's face swim into focus, his face lined. "What... what are these?"

 _"What I want to do is make all shinobi understand each other, and that includes you!"_ Naruto angrily looked at Sasuke.

 _"Not everyone will agree with you."_

 _"If you keep whining and sulking, I'll have to slug you again."_

 _"There's no guarantee I won't stand against you again-"_

 _"Then I'll stop you. Again."_

Shisui's face swam into focus again as the memory faded. Boruto's voice sounded clearer. "These mean nothing," the fallen Uchiha snarled. "Just... _give up and DIE!"_

The blade pierced the skin, but he stopped there.

"...DAD-"

"It's okay Boruto. I'm... I'm okay." He looked down at Shisui. The other's eye was bleeding profusely as he strained his eye's jutsu, but it was pointless. His control over Naruto was broken. The promises Naruto had made before overwhelmed Shisui's hate-filled urges.

Naruto pulled the kunai out of his chest and held it to the other's neck. Breathing softly, the other leaned his head back, his face going limp. "Then... it's over. I've lost this round."

Naruto shook his head. "Not a round, but the whole war. At the same time, though, I feel you didn't lose, and I didn't win. Its a draw."

"What makes you say that, Lord Seventh?" He said the title mockingly, trying to goad him, but Naruto wasn't allowing anymore of his jibes to jive with him.

"You... you're right, despite all that's happened." He turned to Boruto, now at his side. His on looked at him with intense worry at seeing his father beaten down so harshly. He drew an arm out for his son to come in, and he did so, hugging his father tightly. "This way of life... it's not what it was promised to be. Sending the youth out to die, training them to be objects of war. We trained to have no individuality in war, to only be tools of the village. The Uchiha Clan was discarded like some tool... and even though it was out of my control, I regret it."

Shisui glowered at him. "You regret it? Easy for you to say- you didn't see, you don't know!"

"But Sasuke did. He witnessed it all." Naruto looked at Shisui with sorrowful eyes. "And through his pain, I learned it. I learned the loneliness. I learned the suffering of being a shinobi. I lived through Pain's attack on Konoha, and the Fourth Shinobi War. I _know_ this isn't the life people should be living!"

The fallen Uchiha coughed up blood, and turned to look at the heavens above them. "Such compassion... too late-"

"But it's not too late!" Naruto actually grabbed him by the scruff of his tattered shirt, forcing him to look at him, to see the pain and sincerity he was emulating. "You really thought that by causing more war and pain, it would make both those things go away? You thought by doing exactly what this lifestyle was made for, you could sweep it away! The Five Nations, and the small ones, together, overtime, we can change things! Make a society in which we understand each other, and don't have to fight over our differences!"

"You speak dreams," Shisui spat. "A fantasty..."

"But was your way any better?" He turned to Boruto. "You kidnapped my son, to lure me, his father, into a trap... was that the path of peace?"

The other was silent, his lips compressed. A single tear, not bloody, came from his eye.

"You say my way if fantasy... but with time, patience, and cooperation, it could be reality. You wanted it fast and easy, like Madara. The only way that would happen would be through a lie."

Shisui's head fell against the rock as Naruto released him. "I... don't believe you. And I never will."

"You don't have to. But I will do it. And you can watch from above."

Shisui laughed, softer than ever. "After everything I've said and done, you think I'm going to heaven?"

Despite himself, Naruto smiled as Shisui closed his eyes. "You're going to have to, to see how I prove you wrong down here."

Shisui's body relaxed and collapsed against the crumpled innards of the boulder. Naruto stepped away, Boruto still by his side, as the carcass of his enemy went still.

Naruto watched it, half expecting it to come back to life, the realistic mask alive on its face like some sort of parasite. After everything that had happened, from the bombing on the Monument to the death of Fukasaku, to even now their final battle in the ruins of his family's village. But nothing happened. Shisui Uchiha, doubting him until the end, no longer moved.

"Just you wait," he said quietly to the body's shell. "You'll see. One day, you'll see, and you'll be proud of the choice Itachi made. I promise you."

"Dad?" He turned down to face his son, who looked up at him questioningly. "Did you know him?"

The Seventh Hokage. "No, not really. He was a ghost of the past, trying to haunt the future. But he won't be doing that anymore. And hopefully, no one ever does again."

Boruto's face turned pouting. "Well old man, he's dead, isn't he?"

"Yeah?"

"Then let's get out of here and go home!"

He gave the village ruins a final look. This was where his ancestors had all died, save for those who had escaped like his mother. In the very same place, he had almost come to do the same.

He shivered. "I'm with you there. Let's get back to the Hidden Leaf."

"There won't be a Hidden Leaf to go back to."

The words came as a death rattle from the depths of the rock. Naruto turned his head. Shisui had not stirred, and he could not see his mangled face where he had crumpled into the stone. "I... I lost this round, but the war is won. My men are tearing the Leaf Village apart... as we speak. I die, but the dream lives on, Naruto Uzumaki..."

Naruto turned his head back, unable to come to terms that a once such revered, kind shinobi had been reduced to such a simple, forceful hatred. So, he said the only thing he could.

"You're wrong."

And father and son left the dying man to his fate.


	31. Chapter 29 - End Game

**XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara, Konohagakure's Southern District**

Todo's body pulsated another bright-blue glow that blinded him. A moment later, he was lifted off his feet by another of his grossly extended arms.

" **Shadow Possession Jutsu!"** The long trail of his justu enveloped the dead man's body, but it was once again impossible to keep hold of. With a gasp after mere moments, he fell on all fours, his body shivering uncontrollably. The other's chakra was too extensive, too large to control, even with all his concentration-

Sasuke was unconscious. Mirai had fainted. There was no other help to come. This threat was hidden from all, and yet even as Konohagakure was beginning to turn the tides against their enemies, they would still lose.

"Dad!" Shikamaru whirled around; Sarada Uchiha was running over, a small boy right on her heels wearing a Takigakure headband. They seemed relatively unscathed, although they seemed to be heavily winded.

Shikamaru barred her path as she approached. "What are you two doing here?" he demanded. "Get back, get away from the village!"

"What's wrong with my father!" she shouted, trying to get around him. The boy was looking at Todo's form with disbelieving eyes, looking almost sick. They were all cast in the eerie blue glow as Todo expanded to the size of a whale-

Shikamaru shook his head. "Take your dad, go!" he said firmly. "Both of you, grab under his arms. Get out of the village if you can, as far away as you can-"

The younger Uchiha blinked tears from her eyes. "I can't, he's too heavy," she said furiously. "What- what is that thing? What's going on, what's happened to him?"

Frustration welled up inside him. These kids would get themselves killed-

The young boy took a step forward, his eyes on Todo. "Dad?" he whispered as if to a ghost. "Dad?"

"That's not your dad," Shikamaru said curtly. He picked up Sasuke's body and threw it over his shoulder, then Mirai. There was nothing more he could do, except try and save these two kids and his friends. "We need to get out of here-"

But the young boy was still moving forward. "Dad!"

"That's not your-" He froze. Someone was attacking Todo's body, dodging around the flailing arms. A familiar figure, looking like a fragile doll-

Flint sent a bolt of lightning down through one of Todo's arms, and the floating blue orb of dead flesh bellowed. The glow returned, blinding them-

The rogue Takigakure shinobi was flung back, landing beside them. The boy stared at him with an open mouth.

"You-" Shikamaru snarled, unsure of whether to attack or help him up. The older man gave a groan of pain, then turned to Shikamaru. "You, put them down. I'm going to have to get close to him to do this."

"Do what?" He set down Mirai and Sasuke, with Sarada trying to wake up the latter.

Flint groaned again. "I… I can divert the chakra that otherwise would explode uncontrollably… through me into the electrical grid. The power stations will overload and explode, but it won't be as devastating if Todo does himself."

"I don't believe you," Shikamaru said instantly. But the words were empty and they both knew it; even if Shikamaru didn't trust him, what choice was there?

Flint sighed. "I'm not doing this for you, your village, or your cause. I did what I did for the dream of another that I believed in… but I won't allow it to be tarnished like this."

Shikamaru in turn shook his head. "That dream was always a lie. You were misled because you were optimistic and hopeful. People like that are always bent easily to the cause of another."

"Maybe so, maybe so. But there's no time for a philsophical debate; the original plan was to cause chaos and to leave, to scare the continent that the order in Konoha never existed. I never wanted the entire village to be destroyed, and neither did Lord S." He turned to Todo's illuminated body with his sightless eyes. "I won't allow him to do this."

""Dad?" The young boy finally spoke again, and the older man tensed.

"Choi? Choi, what are you doing here?"

"I… I came to help the Leaf fight the terrorists!"

Shikamaru saw the other's forehead crease. _His son never knew his father had left to join those same terrorists?_ He wondered. _Is this who he's been trying to protect, to save?_

"I'm so proud of you, Choi." The father's hands ruffled the others hair hesitantly, then brought him in for a hug. The boy accepted it fully, hugging the missing man like he would never see him again.

And he probably never would. Shikamaru could only guess, with his own attempts to control the vast chakra source, what it would do to one's body if it actually coursed through them like that.

"You're going to be a wonderful shinobi for Takigakure. For shinobi everywhere. I'm… I'm so sorry I left you, that I've missed everything since then…"

"I understand, father. They told me you were doing something important. I understand."

Flint seemed at a loss for words. He turned to Shikamaru, and the other gave him a pained glance. The whole situation seemed to be like him and Mirai, only the roles reversed. Little contact but the mistake of thinking they still knew the other.

"Choi… no matter what you hear or what they tell you, will you remember your old man as the person he was, before I left?"

The boy nodded, his bottom lip trembling despite the attempt to hold his face together. Flint sighed, then gently nudged him towards Sarada. "Stay safe. I'll… I'll be with you, one day."

The Takigakure turned to Shikamaru, a dreadful look in his eyes. "We'll only have once chance at this, Nara. Do you understand."

He looked back at Sasuke, with his daughter desperatly trying to awaken him. And at Mirai, who's mother knew not where she was. And at a boy, who was about to see his father who he was lied to about die before him.

"I'm ready. Just tell me what to do."

 **XXX**

 **Choji Akimichi**

His arm caught the Kusagakure arm across the chest. Not hard enough to kill, but enough to stop him in his tracks from pursueing the crying children. His comrade, however, took advantage of the occupation of one of his arms to try and get behind him-

 _Anytime would be good, Kiba!_

Right on cue, there was a sudden gurgling cry as a giant gust of air whipped behind him. The shinobi Choji had stopped, slumping to the ground in an unconscious heap.

"You and Akamaru still have as good a sync as ever," Choji said with admiration.

The master and dog brushed themselves down. Kiba looked down with disgust at his defeated opponent. "Not much of a challenge. Chunin, by the looks. Not really trying to fight just making a ruckus. No doubt spurned by the real criminals going around."

"Words going around to kill on sight the ones with a tattoo of a Red Star," Choji said, throwing a quick look around. He saw Lee chopping down three Hoshigakure-nin. TenTen sent a net down, encasing four more in the heavy weight.

But still no Shikamaru. Worry knotted deep in his stomach like a bad case of food poisoning.

"What's that, Akamaru?" Choji looked down; the dog was sniffing the area with sudden might. The giant white beast suddenly barked and began running down the lane. "Wait, Akamaru-!" Kiba shouted. Choji followed, not wanting for the other to get separated and ambushed-

Akamaru stopped in the middle of the road, his tail unnaturally straight, his body stiff.

Pointing to an eerie blue glow coming from the southern district. Choji's eyes narrowed. "Someone deciding to set off a nice light show?"

Kiba looked behind them. "The commoners have been evacuated and the the genin led away," he grunted. "Let's check it out, huh?"

Choji nodded. Maybe, just maybe, it would give some clue to where Shikamaru was.

And some clue how to finally end this madness.

 **XXX**

 **Konahamaru Sarutobi**

His opponent gave the bloodcurling laugh again as he threw his shuriken. Konohamaru dodged them easily and sent a cloud of hot ash back, but again the other was too quick.

"You're gonna die here, little man! With this stupid village!"

"Yeah, that's what you'd like, isn't it?"

 _Grandpa, is this what you felt before?_ He darted forward, clashing kunai knives with the larger, more menacing man. The bloody star on his shoulder seemed to glow with an inner light as they traded blows. Try as he might, Konohamaru just couldn't break through the other's stonewall defense.

This was the first time he had defended the village. Always before he had been sent away to do his missions. The Fourth Shinobi War had not seen him have any combat, not with his young age preventing him from going out and fighting. And even before then, Orochimaru's assault on the Leaf, when he had killed the Third Hokage, again he had been unable to participate, to help.

 _This time I can, and I will. Are you watching Grandpa, Uncle Asuma?_

Laughing maniacally, the terrorist's fingers suddenly danced, and his kunai was flung with his hand. The murderous rogue's hands were suddenly filled with shuriken. "You're done, little man!" He threw them all, but behind the whirring metal the other wasn't finished. **"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"** The ten shuriken became twenty, forty, all gunning for him.

 _I won't fail you, or Naruto, or Mirai, or anyone! They're all depending on me._ He threw his own shuriken, and matched the other's hand sign. **"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu!"** And his ten shuriken became twenty, forty...

eighty, a hundred and sixty, doubling and doubling more. His opponent gave a sudden wild cry as he realized he was suddenly outmatched. He jumped into the air, trying to dodge, but it was a useless gesture. Like a swarm of hungry crows on bread, the shuriken batted his away then sunk into him. he fell back to the ground, a thousand wounds ending his miserable life.

Konohamaru gave himself a deep breath. _The Will of Fire. I won't let it fade, never. I won't let anyone die under my watch, just like you tried to do the same during yours._

His left eye flickered. A light blue hue was filtering in it, and he turned. From the south, something large and glowing like the afternoon sky was emerging.

Picking up his fallen kunai, he tore off towards it.

 **XXX**

 **Sakura Uchiha**

"Sarada! Sarada, where are you?!" But her daughter didn't respond, she was nowhere near the caravan.

And there was only one place she knew she could have gone. After her father, into the tongue of flame that illuminated the darkness while the moon reflected the light innocently. _She's inherited my stubbornness and his stealth,_ she thought with dread.

She ran out to the village at full speed, tearing through underbrush and trees until the wall was her only obstacle. She scaled it quickly, with a desperate hope her daughter would maybe be just on the other side-

Four men with the tattooed red star she had seen in the canyon when they had confronted Konan had cornered a pair of terrified genin wearing Ishigakure, the Village Hidden in Stones, headbands.

"Think you're cute, coming out here to protest some stupid movement?" one of the older men leered, wiping a wicked curved knife across his tongue. "Shame in the end you only came out to die, huh?" His cohorts laughed cruelly.

Sakura coughed. "Don't you boys have anything better to do than bully some kids?"

They all turned with blank shock, obviously not expecting someone sneaking up behind them to give themselves up so easily.

In one fluid movement, she had drilled her fist into the ground, splintering it and and making them all fall to the ground. She advanced on them, her chakra-powered fists plowing into them with the force of a charging rhino. They fell, one by one to her until the last was scurrying away, desperately trying to save himself while leaving his friends behind-

One of the genin caught him around a smartrope, lassoing and bringing him to the ground. Sakura raised an eyebrow to them. "Good handiwork. You can have the honors."

The two Stones shinobi grinned, then doubled down on their remaining tormenting, making him scream.

Her eyes went to the south. Something was going on, she could feel it in her chakra. As if in answer, the area seemed to light up in a blue hue. _The color of chakra. Certain trouble._

And grimly, she knew that wherever trouble was, no doubt Sasuke would be there.

And that meant her daughter as well. Leaving the genin to deal with the captured rogue, she went to find her family.

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara**

Flint leaped forward without another word, his ceremonial dagger in his hand. Shikamaru darted after, doing a quick display of handsigns.

Todo's remaining arm flailed at the, except this time his legs joined the assault.

" **Shadow Spike Jutsu!"** His shadow became solid, and sharp protrusions lanced out around him like a suit of armor. It sliced through one of the legs, but the other threatened to slam into his neck. He managed to swerve under it, grabbed it and threw himself at Flint who was going the other way. The other was going for the underside, where Todo's arm was reaching for him.

Flint knocked the arm aside, scoring a deep cut. The dead man's rolling ball of a body groaned again, and he expanded dangerously. The skin began to split, and inside, Shikamaru saw what looked like an ocean-

"Hold off the limbs!" Flint shouted. He had landed beneath, and was sitting cross-legged again, doing a long line of hand signs. His forehead was streaked with sweat, the heat coming off Todo's body was so immense. Shikamaru's shadows drove off the flailing limbs, buying time. Was he going to die alongside his former enemy? What was going to come out of this?

" **Lightning Style: Chakra Current!"**

"And never tell my son what I was." The last words he barely heard; the high whine suddenly became unbearable. The blue glow started to come from Flint's body as well as he drained the destructive, pure energy from Todo. The latter's body became to deflate like a balloon, though the skin was still horribly stretched and deformed.

 _We can't lose._ Ino, Choji, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Lee, TenTen, everyone and more! They would have no idea, their lives could evaporate in a flash.

Behind him, Flint gave a moan. His body was shaking, the chakra conversion was just too much for his body to handle. Shikamaru knelt down beside him. "Come on, you can do it!" He urged. "Think of everyone, everything-" He put his hand on the other's shoulder, to lend some of his own chakra control. The pain was immeaditely striking, like a icy cold knife in his gut. He cried out, but held on to Flint's shoulder. He felt the primitive desire of the chakra to disperse, extend, driven along by Todo's will, fighting against Flint's pure desire to protect his son...

"Dad!" Choi, the young boy, wailed across the distance towards them. "DAD!"

"Shikamaru!" _Naruto?!_ Shikamaru squinted, but there was no mistaking the shock of blonde hair. He was straining towards them both, but he was being held by others. Choji, Kiba, and other chunin. They must have finally noticed the blue disturbance; too late…

"You can do it!" Words of encouragement, all around them. People of all uniforms, color, nationalities. The rooftops around them were crowded. Some threw kunai at Todo's body, weakening him further, others simply cheered them on.

Flint moaned again. "Choi… _my son…_ "

He groaned again, and this time the current was true. Todo deflated like a sack, his body strewn out twice as long originally, the skin shriveled and blackened, the mouth opened to a horrifying degree in a final mad laugh.

The Takigakure nin collapsed. Suddenly, three distant explosions all around them; the other three powergrids exploding as Todo's absorbed chakra was split evenly between them. Shikamaru took his hand off the other. The world was dizzy and he began to fall, but hands caught him. Naruto, Ino, and Gaara. They looked at him with relief, worry, concern, their faces illuminated by the white, yellow, and red sparks of fire being sent high into the night.

"Mirai…" he said fuzzily, then he joined Flint in the blackness.


	32. Chapter 30- Conclusion

**XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki, Konohagakure**

 **XXX**

He checked himself in the mirror. The orange coat, glossy pants, and dress shoes did a pretty good job, he thought, of covering his injuries. He straightened his shirt and sighed. _One more try._

"You look handsome." He turned; Hinata was there, his special hat in hand. It, too, looked cleaner that it ever had. There was no evidence of the ash and debris that had covered it during that fateful day a month ago.

"You don't look to bad yourself," he replied, taking the Hokage hat from her. She was dressed in a flowing, light purple gown that brought out her hair and eyes beautifully. They drank each other in for some time, neither talking but still communicating how they felt.

Eventually, a head peeked into the room. "We're ready," Konohamaru said lightly. "Whenever you're ready, Lord Seventh."

The young jonin slipped back out, and Naruto braced himself. Outside was his one chance to make everything right, with everyone. Hinata rubbed him on the back, soothingly. He took a deep breath, then walked out.

Sunlight hit him immediately but he didn't let it throw him off. He ascended the steps, too look out where thousands were assembled in the main street leading to the Hokage Monument.

Just like before. Except this time, he would do it right.

"Thank you all for coming," he said loudly into the microphone. The crowd, already having gone silent since he stepped out, looked at him attentively.

He looked down at his notecards, trying to draw together words. He looked to his left; Kakashi and Tsunade gave encouraging nods, but he noticed Shikamaru wasn't there, nor was Sasuke. and Sakura.

"Shinobi from around the continent," Naruto began, turning back to the crowd. "It's no secret why I'm in front of you today..."

 **XXX**

 **Sasuke Uchiha, Konohagakure Outskirts**

 **XXX**

He set the final stone down atop the freshly placed earth, stood up, and then was silent. Not since he had been a child had he had the luxury of attending a funeral. Hadn't it been for the Third Hokage? Probably. It had been a while.

"I hope you've found the answers you sought," was all he said. He left the stones at the mouth of the cave where she had led him the day before she had died. It still puzzled him, why she had tried to hard to not believe him and yet had given her life to betray her master.

Such things, he knew, would continue to puzzle him no matter where his journeys took him. After a couple steps, he looked back just in time to see one of the blue flower's petals get blown off the stem, into the breeze. The petals chased him away from Konan's grave, and he shuddered.

"That was fast." Sakura was waiting for him, leaning against one of the rocks. He had not asked she come, but she had nevertheless, and he was quietly grateful. She had respected his privacy to be alone, to make the grave, to question the things Konan had done.

He shrugged back. "There was little to say. I hardly knew her... but she deserved a real burial. She was a good woman."

Sakura nodded. "I know, I can tell. It was just Lord S's lies that warped her into something she wasn't."

"I don't want to ever happen to anyone again. Not of the village, and not of my family. Ever."

She smiled. "I know," she said again. She came up close to him and kissed him, and he allowed himself to lose let go, for a moment. The petals whished past, as if finally freed.

He pulled away first. "You know I have to go again."

"I know," she said for a third time, though certainly more subdued than before. "But I know you'll come back to us, one day soon. You always do."

The last Uchiha hesitated- _no, not the last._ He shuddered again. If Naruto had been right in their private conversation, S had been Shisui Uchiha, and for a time that had meant he was not the last of his Clan. But now he easily knew that was not the case. He had a wife, and a daughter who grew stronger everyday. Shisui was another piece of the past, again lost and gone, again a reminder that the time for looking back was gone, and for looking forward was necessary.

He bent forward and kissed her again, to her surprise then endearment. "Won't you stay for Naruto's speech, at least?" she asked, holding him by the arm.

"Of course."

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

 **XXX**

"We have been tried many times in our past. The Akatsuki tested the limits of our finest shinobi. The Fourth Shinobi War played our international fears of working together. And now, the act of a terrorist has tested the foundation of what we thought was the perfect order."

He looked down. Shibiki of Takigakure was there, as was Lord Evast of Kusagakure. The Four Kages, looking much more rested than before, we're waiting impatiently to their left, where the main meeting hall for the Kage Summit was.

But the Seventh was not as impatient as they were. "You are maybe expecting me to condemn him, or to congratulate ourselves on overcoming this threat to our society." He gripped the podium with his own inner frustration, the sincerity he had. "But I'm not. I'm going to say that Lord S was right."

"We are not a perfect society," he said to the sudden gasps and murmurs running through the assembled shinobi. "We have never been farther from it, I think. Yes, the Five have united and therein lies a sense of security. But in doing so, we have ignored those who we have often considered beneath us."

"Kusagakure. Hoshigakure. Yukigakure. Takigakure. All of these small shinobi villages that defend their small nations. We have mistreated them to a point that, as ridiculous as it may seem to those of us in the Five Great Nations, they nearly joined with Lord S."

"Outrageous!" He heard Darui shout from below, but Naruto ignored him.

"These divisions can no longer exist," Naruto said flatly. "Not among us, shinobi. We, who are like family." He paused to let that sink in. He again turned to his side; Shikamaru was still not there...

 **XXX**

 **Shikamaru Nara, Konohagakure Detention Facility**

They let him in without much problem. Not because he was the Seventh Hokage's advisor per se, but because the prison ironically seemed to be at all time low risk. What with Lord S's men rounded up and leaderless, the survivors had been quick to submit themselves into custody, while the more bloodthirsty had insisted on resisting- and in turn, insisted on death.

The cells were filled, but they were all filled with a bleak hopelessness, knowing that their trials would come and they would be dealt with accordingly.

He held his chest painfully as he walked deeper into the prison. The best medicine available could only temporarily ease the pain caused by the massive chakra divergence he had done when he had helped Flint divert Todo's chakra into the power grid. It would be weeks, they hypothesized, before he would be able to return to full duty again.

Which was fine with him. Temari would be waiting for him at home with their child, and how long had it been since he'd had a couple lazy days? It gave him plenty of time to do things he had never been able to do before.

Like this.

He stopped before the tiny cell. Inside, Mirai Sarutobi kept her face down, as the guards said she had done since she had peacefully surrendered herself to them.

"I don't know how you're feeling," Shikamaru said simply. "But I wanted to tell you that I forgive you. For everything."

She did not stir inside, but he had not expected her to. This was her form of penance for what she had done. In the next week she would be put through a loyalty test, and if she passed she would be allowed to return to her rank with little repercussion.

"You did what you thought was best, in your own way. I can't say that everything I did for the Leaf has always been in the best interest of the shinobi code. Your father wasn't much like that either, if he could help it."

He blew out the air in his cheeks in a low-pitch whistle. "What you did was wrong, but you need to know your family thinks no less of you." He pressed up against the bars. "Your a kunoichi of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Your father died to protect it, just as I nearly gave my own life to defend it as well last night."

"If you're trying to make me feel even worse, you're succeeding," she said emotionlessly from inside her cage.

"Then you're interpreting me wrong," Shikamaru replied simply. "I understand what you wanted to do, and how you thought it was right... we've all been there, we've all done wrong thinking it was good. And your family knows that. The _Leaf_ is your family, Mirai., and it'll be with you no matter what happens. _The Will of Fire brings us together_ , he thought to himself. But there would be a time, later, to explain it.

He leaned off the bars, checked his watch. Naruto's speech had started, but he had said to start without him anyways.

"Thank you, Uncle Shikamaru," she said, finally looking up. Tears fell from her eyes onto her lap. "All this time, I wondered what you all must think of me. Betraying the village for... for that _madman_ , when I only wanted to help protect it." She held a hand to her chest. "All this time I've felt something _warm_ inside me, a burning desire to protect the Leaf. Now, I think I know what it is."

Shikamaru looked at her with surprise, then up above. _Asuma sensei? Are you watching?_

"I'll repair the damage I've done," she said firmly, holding her hand to her heart. "I promise you, and the Hokage, and the Village. I swear it."

He held his own hand to his heart, and from inside the cage she smiled as she matched his movement. Real, pure, and determined.

 **XXX**

 **Naruto Uzumaki**

 **XXX**

"That is why I declare that I will still not be attending the Kage Summit. Nor will I ever be attending another."

This time there were outcries, not just from the Kages but from his own shinobi, those of the Leaf who gawked at him and demanded an explanation.

The Seventh smiled. "Let me correct myself. I will not attend a Kage Summit- that doesn't have the Leaders of the other shinobi villages present. Is it so hard," he said loudly over the renewed murmers of dissent. "To come to terms that we are equal to one another? Look past your borders as a member of the Five. They are shinobi, are they not? Well, are they?"

Some words of agreement, but Naruto shook his head. "Fine, don't view them as other shinobi. But see them as _human_. We are all one the same, no matter what is done. Lord Evast leads his own shinobi village, just as I lead mine. We are no different. Neither am I from the leaders of Takigakure, or Tanigakure, or _anywhere_!"

He took a deep breath. "It were these divisions between the Five that fostered the mistrust we had for each other before the Fourth Shinobi War," he said resolutely, his tone as hard as steel. "I will not see the same fissures exist between the Five and any of the smaller nations so that we light the embers of a Fifth one, one that nearly occurred just the night before. The next generation does not have to experience what we went through. We can be the ones to bring that change, what our ancestors have always wanted!"

Gaara's voice spoke up below. "I stand with the Seventh. I will hear the words of the smaller nation's leaders."

Kurostuchi quickly followed in agreement. Then Darui, then Chojuro. The crowd members turned to each other, talking not of argument, but of potential friendship, and allies among big and small.

"I thank you all for coming to my inauguration," Naruto said finally. "Thanks to the efforts of us all... unity may finally be within our grasp." He backed away from the mike, and turned one more time. Kakashi was beaming, Tsunade applauding and getting the elders to do the same.

Sasuke gave a small smile from behind a tearfully applauding Sakura. Shikamaru gave him a grin and a thumbs up. Hinata looked at him with pride, while she held one arm on each of their children, who looked in awe at the work their father had finally accomplished.

Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage of Konohagakure, otherwise known as the Village Hidden in the Leaves, looked directly ahead of him, towards the beginning of the reconstructed faces of the previous Hokage. A small black dot was on top of Hiruzen Sarutobi's face, and he squinted, but it was gone as he blinked.

"Come on, Lord Seventh," Gaara called from below, where the leaders of all the villages had gathered. "We wait on you to begin."

He wiped everything else from his mind. The future was here, put in his hands by six previous generations of Hokage. He was exactly where he wanted to be, doing what he needed to do. Without any hesitation, he walked off the stage to them.

 **XXX**

 **Lord S**

 **XXX**

He listened to the speech, wholeheartedly, atop the stone he had destroyed a month before. But even now they had already begun to repair the damages. His 'lasting impression' was being as easily replaced as his goal by Naruto Uzumaki.

But this time, he was okay with it.

He had lost. Despite everything he had done to prepare, to do, the hatred and sincerity he had put into the Cause, he had lost. Barely alive in the stone, he had thought perhaps he had been destined to lose. There was no way he could have won against such a pure-hearted individual, who's mind was set on peace.

Now, the Seventh was finishing his speech as the other Kages agreed to talk with the smaller nation leaders. Before, he would have doubted them. He would have waited for action to speak the truth, not words.

But with Naruto overseeing things, he no longer worried about such things. The shinobi world was in capable hands after all.

Shisui Uchiha stood up, making himself visible. Across the impossible distance, he thought he felt the eyes of the Seventh on him, and he body flickered away to a place where he would not be seen. Silently, he put his hands to his eyes and plucked them out. Sightless, he felt them in his palm then crushed them, forever ending the bloodline of the Kotoamatsukami.

 _There are some things that were never meant to be_. He jumped down from the monument, landing surely on his feet, Sage Mode guiding him. Exile would be the only fitting end for what he had done, just as Itachi had done for what he did to the clan. Only unlike Itachi, he knew that they had finally achieved the goal they had talked about as children. They had finally brought peace to the Hidden Leaf, even if it was not in the way they had anticipated, even indirectly and in the worst way he could have done it.

But it was done, and he at last knew the future was in capable hands.

 _There is hope for this world after all, Naruto Uzumaki._ With a final parting look towards the stage, he departed from the village and vanished, leaving behind only a single crow that flew above the crowd to land innocently upon the Seventh's shoulder.


	33. Author's Note

***If you don't want to hear my ramblings, skip to the last paragraph.**

 **Yup, I know what you're thinking. You thought this was dead, didn't you? Well, so did I, I was neck deep in some writer's block for this. I had rediscovered my love for Star Wars and was getting back into that, and during that gap didn't know what I was going to do with this. But I found my first rough draft when I had started writing** ** _Unity_** **, and it inspired me to finish this story you've just finished reading.**

 **Another question: yup, I really did stop writing right near the end. Making a satisfying conclusion is always a little difficult. Always sounds good on the draft, then when putting it down... not so much.**

 **I got the inspiration for this story from two things, a creative writing class I took and watching the Boruto Movie. From the workshop, I got the concept of "threat level," or how much of a challenge an antagonist is to the protagonist. And I realize Naruto was quickly succumbing to a "hyper-threat level rise," or that the protagonist is so powerful that challenges no longer are logical. I mean, you had to have a villain come from another world just to fight them in the last two movies.**

 **So, I made a reasonable, classy, homegrown but intimidating villain, which I think I did pretty well. And then there was some nice political issue thrown in, some interpersonal conflict, and bam a story which I'm really quite proud of.**

 **Ultimately, I hope you enjoyed this work. To those who reviewed, followed, and favorited all the way to the end of the veryyyyyyy drawn out story, thanks a lot. As you've probably heard countless times, any bit of acknowledgement from people on the work you've done is what drives authors, artists- everyone, including me. We're all grateful for the time you, the reader, put into seeing our stuff. As for any future work I do, I don't know if I'll write anything from Naruto for a while. I'm doing my own Star Wars novel called Dim Star, and also co-writing with** the core of justice **on another Star Wars novel called** ** _Child of Darkness._** **I may do a few short stories of Naruto here and there, and I still want to write about alternate Itachi/Kisame and Pain/Konan histories. When they'll come out... well, we'll see.**

 **Thanks again for reading, and have a nice day.**


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